Hellenic Gaming Commission opens 40 roles to strengthen gambling oversight

The Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC) has announced 40 secondment positions in its Gaming Controllers’ Corps as Greece strengthens its approach to gambling regulation and enforcement. The initiative is intended to expand the regulator’s supervisory capacity and support efforts to address unlicensed gambling activities while reinforcing player protection.

Applications are open to eligible public-sector employees, with the deadline set for 6 November 2026. The recruitment drive follows legislative changes adopted in June and comes amid renewed attention to the financial and social implications of gambling outside Greece’s licensed market.

Recruitment targets existing public-sector employees

The HGC is seeking experienced personnel from across the public administration rather than conducting a general recruitment competition for external applicants. The secondment arrangement is designed to bring additional professional expertise into the regulator while supporting its wider responsibilities for monitoring the gambling sector.

The 40 positions cover administrative, economic, legal and information technology specialisations. According to the official recruitment notice, the allocation includes 25 university-level administrative and economic positions across specialisations, three university-level administrative and economic positions for candidates specialising in law, five university-level information technology positions, five technological education positions in administrative accounting and bookkeeping and two technological education positions in information technology.

This distribution reflects the range of capabilities required for modern regulatory oversight. Legal and administrative expertise can support the interpretation and application of gambling legislation while information technology professionals can contribute to digital monitoring and the examination of online activities.

The HGC has emphasised the importance of relevant knowledge, professional experience, integrity and initiative. The roles require personnel who can work across regulatory, technological and economic issues as gambling services continue to evolve.

Because the positions are offered through secondment, interested candidates should review the eligibility criteria and administrative requirements in the official recruitment notice. The notice also provides the applicable procedures for submitting an application before the stated deadline.

Legislative changes strengthen gambling enforcement

The recruitment programme follows the adoption of Law 5313/2026 in June 2026. The legislation amended elements of Greece’s existing gambling framework, including provisions addressing the unauthorised organisation and operation of games of chance.

The revised framework increases the potential criminal consequences for certain forms of illegal gambling. Under the amended provisions, operating unauthorised games of chance can attract a prison sentence of at least 10 years and a fine ranging from €50,000 to €700,000. More serious circumstances, including professional or commercial-scale activity, the involvement of minors or the reopening of premises despite an enforcement seal, can result in a minimum 10-year sentence and fines between €100,000 and €800,000.

The applicable penalties depend on the conduct involved and the relevant statutory provisions. The figures should therefore be understood as legal penalties prescribed for specific offences rather than as an automatic consequence of every regulatory breach.

The legislative changes also address commercial communication for unlicensed gambling activities. Together with existing supervisory mechanisms, these provisions give authorities a broader legal framework for responding to different aspects of unauthorised operations.

Additional staff are expected to help the HGC implement its responsibilities more effectively. Increasing personnel capacity can support inspection work, regulatory analysis and the handling of information relevant to potential breaches. The recruitment itself does not establish that any particular operator has committed an offence.

Illegal gambling remains a significant economic concern

The scale of Greece’s unlicensed gambling market is an important part of the background to the recruitment initiative. Figures presented in connection with the HGC’s 2025 annual report put the amount wagered through unlicensed gambling at approximately €1.8 billion during that year. The reported average expenditure per player was €2,027.

Taken together, those figures imply a player population in the vicinity of 900,000. However, that should be treated as an approximate estimate derived from rounded figures rather than a separately verified headcount.

Earlier research covering 2024 estimated that approximately 799,000 people participated in unlicensed gambling, with activity valued at around €1.67 billion. The Ministry of National Economy and Finance also cited estimated annual public revenue losses of approximately €400 million in connection with that research.

The figures for 2024 and 2025 indicate that unlicensed gambling remains a substantial regulatory concern. They should not be interpreted as a direct year-on-year comparison without considering differences in research methods and estimates.

The potential consequences extend beyond public revenue. Unlicensed services can leave consumers with fewer reliable avenues for complaints or dispute resolution and may not provide the safeguards required under Greece’s regulated framework. Authorities must also consider the implications for fair competition between licensed businesses and operators that function outside the applicable authorisation system.

Technology and supervision play a growing role

Online gambling presents particular challenges for regulators because websites, payment channels and promotional activity can operate across borders. Monitoring individual websites remains relevant, but effective enforcement may also require authorities to examine connected activities and gather information that can support further investigation.

The HGC identifies digital investigations, electronic monitoring, inspections and cooperation with national and international authorities among its approaches to addressing illegal gambling. Its work also includes maintaining information about unlicensed providers and helping the public check whether a gambling website appears on the regulator’s relevant lists.

The additional Gaming Controllers’ Corps personnel could support this wider supervisory approach through their different professional skills. Information technology expertise is relevant to digital analysis while legal and administrative experience can assist with regulatory procedures, documentation and coordination.

Cooperation between regulatory bodies and judicial authorities is also important when suspected activity requires further examination under applicable law. Enforcement decisions must remain grounded in the relevant evidence and legal procedures.

What the recruitment means for player protection

The expansion of the Gaming Controllers’ Corps is intended to strengthen the practical capacity behind Greece’s gambling rules. Legislation sets out legal duties and penalties, but effective supervision also depends on having personnel who can examine information, conduct appropriate checks and support the implementation of regulatory decisions.

For consumers, the wider objective is to promote a gambling environment in which licensed services operate under established requirements and players can access relevant safeguards. Checking a provider’s authorisation status before using a gambling service is one practical way to reduce uncertainty about its regulatory position.

For licensed businesses, consistent oversight can help support confidence in the market by reinforcing the importance of compliance with applicable requirements. At the same time, any enforcement action must follow the proper procedures and distinguish between verified breaches and unproven allegations.

The recruitment drive is therefore best understood as an administrative and operational measure accompanying Greece’s updated legal framework. Its effectiveness will depend not only on the number of positions filled but also on how successfully the additional expertise supports the HGC’s day-to-day work.

Conclusion

The Hellenic Gaming Commission’s decision to open 40 secondment positions marks a further step in Greece’s efforts to strengthen gambling supervision. With applications due by 6 November 2026, the programme seeks to bring administrative, legal, economic and technological expertise into the Gaming Controllers’ Corps at a time when the scale of unlicensed activity remains a concern.

Law 5313/2026 provides a stronger statutory framework for addressing specified forms of illegal gambling, including provisions that introduce significant criminal penalties. Additional personnel could help translate those legal requirements into more consistent supervisory work by supporting inspections, digital investigations and coordination with the relevant authorities.

The financial estimates associated with Greece’s unlicensed market underline why enforcement remains a public policy priority. However, meaningful progress will depend on the quality of implementation, reliable evidence and proportionate application of the law rather than staffing numbers alone.

Ultimately, the recruitment initiative connects regulatory capacity with broader objectives for consumer protection, lawful competition and public accountability. Its longer-term significance will be measured by the HGC’s ability to apply the framework effectively while maintaining transparent procedures and safeguarding the interests of consumers and legitimate market participants.

FAQs

What has the Hellenic Gaming Commission announced?
The HGC has opened 40 secondment positions in its Gaming Controllers’ Corps to strengthen its staffing capacity for gambling supervision and enforcement.

What is the application deadline?
The announced deadline is 6 November 2026. Applicants should consult the official recruitment notice for the applicable submission requirements.

Who can apply for the positions?
The recruitment programme targets eligible existing public-sector employees rather than applicants through a general external recruitment competition. Candidates should check the official notice for detailed eligibility conditions.

What professional backgrounds are covered?
The positions cover administrative and economic work, legal specialisation, information technology and technological education roles in accounting and administration.

Why is Greece expanding gambling oversight?
The initiative forms part of a wider effort to strengthen enforcement against unlicensed gambling and improve the effectiveness of regulatory supervision and player protection.

What is Law 5313/2026?
Law 5313/2026 is Greek legislation adopted in June 2026 that amended elements of the country's gambling framework, including provisions governing unauthorised games of chance.

What penalties can apply to illegal gambling?
Under the amended provisions, operating unauthorised games of chance can attract at least 10 years of imprisonment and fines from €50,000 to €700,000. Specific aggravated circumstances can attract fines from €100,000 to €800,000 alongside a minimum 10-year sentence.

How large was Greece’s unlicensed gambling market in 2025?
Figures presented in connection with the HGC’s 2025 annual report placed the amount wagered through unlicensed gambling at approximately €1.8 billion. The reported average expenditure per player was €2,027.

How can players check whether a gambling website is licensed?
Players can use the HGC’s official website to check the regulatory status of gambling providers and consult the regulator’s information about unlicensed providers.

What is the wider objective of the recruitment programme?
The initiative aims to increase the HGC’s operational capacity and support supervision, digital investigations and enforcement while contributing to consumer protection and a more transparent regulated market.