Greece To Vote Soon on Casino Expansion Bill

Greece To Vote Soon on Casino Expansion Bill Greece is pushing forward with its plan to overhaul the country’s gambling industry, and is hoping to have a new draft bill passed in Parliament within the next couple of weeks, before being enacted on 1 January, 2020. Both live and online gambling provisions are included in the piece of legislation that is being promoted by the Greek Ministry of Finance.
Land-based Gambling
In terms of land based gambling, the bill allows for the building of three new casinos on the islands of Crete, Santorini and Mykonos. In addition, a further six casinos already operating in the country will be permitted to relocate to more popular tourist locations, including Regency Casino Mont Parnes in Athens, currently the sole gambling venue situated in the Greek capital.
Attached to the reform bill is a report suggesting that the country’s gambling and tourism sectors stand to benefit massively from having an improved level of connection between the two industries. Furthermore, relocating venues will also allow for integrated resorts to be built, complete with an abundance of facilities to draw in tourists, including shops, restaurants, bars, and other entertainment offerings.
The casinos will subsequently be subjected to a flat tax rate of between 22% and 35%.
Online Gambling
The bill proposes the creation of a system allowing international internet gambling companies to apply for licenses from the Hellenic Gaming Commission, the same regulatory body also tasked with the responsibility of licensing land-based casinos.
Revenues
According to Kamil Ziegler, the CEO of Greek gambling operator OPAP, between €300-€500 million is being lost each year to unlicensed gambling operators. In event the new bill passes, research firm Deloitte predicts that the country stands to generate an extra €1 billion in revenue over the following four-year period.
While contributing to the overall economic situation of the cash-strapped country, the Greek government stated that one of its priorities would be to maintain ethical boundaries in both the online and land-based arenas, and to prevent economic desperation compromising the health and well-being of its citizens.


Poker News
west virginia online poker
14 Mar 2019
Online gambling could soon be legal in West Virginia as long as the state’s Governor doesn’t decide to throw a last-minute wrench into the process. House Bill 2934, which would legalize all forms on online gambling in the state, including online poker and casino gaming, passed a vote in the Senate earlier this week. The
Mississippi Casinos Post Record Revenue in April as Sports Betting Beckons
04 Jun 2018
Mississippi’s casinos generated gross gaming revenue of $184 million in April, or 5% more compared to the same month in 2017. Furthermore, that total represents an all-time high for the state, and is 1.3% more than the previous record set in 2007 when thousands of volunteers entered Mississippi to assist in cleanup efforts post-Hurricane Katrina.
Switzerland Prepares For June 10th Legalized iGambling Referendum
04 Jun 2018
On June 10th, Switzerland will hold a national referendum to decide whether the ‘Money Gaming Act’ passed by the Swiss Parliament in September 2017 can be implemented next year in its present form. The piece of legislation paves the way for land-based casinos and local partners to offer legalized online gambling in Switzerland, although a
Spanish Online Poker Revenue Jumps 27% in Q1
03 Jun 2018
In January, Spain and France started pooling their online poker players in an attempt to revive an industry decimated by the ring-fenced policies adopted by their respective governments. If they were ever in any doubt as to the validity of their move, the results for the first three months of 2018 will certainly have allayed