Greece Moves to DNS-Level Blocking of Illegal Gambling Domains

Greece is upgrading how it blocks illegal gambling websites, moving from a static public blacklist to Response Policy Zone (RPZ) blocking built directly into the Hellenic Gaming Commission's own DNS server. The change, detailed in July 2026, is designed to shut down unlicensed operators far faster and to keep pace with sites that constantly switch domains, apps and digital services. The regulator is also expanding its enforcement workforce from around 80 to more than 100 specialists as it targets a black market the government estimates at about 2 billion euros a year.

The reform marks a technical shift in the way Greece enforces its gambling laws. Instead of publishing a list of banned domains and relying on internet providers to act on it, the Hellenic Gaming Commission, known locally as EEEP, will push blocked domains into a Response Policy Zone inside its DNS infrastructure so that access is cut off in a coordinated, automated way across the country. It is a move from a paper list to a live system.

Key facts on Greece's new gambling enforcement

• What changed: Greece is moving from a public blacklist of domains to Response Policy Zone (RPZ) blocking inside the EEEP DNS server.
• Why: Illegal operators increasingly shift between domains, applications and digital services, so a static list is too slow to keep up.
• Intelligence loop: Telecoms regulator EETT submits weekly reports on newly registered ".gr" and country-code domains to EEEP, which checks them against its blacklist.
• Domain suspension: Identified domains face a two-month deactivation, with possible permanent removal from the ".gr" or ".ελ" registries.
• Workforce: EEEP is expanding its specialist enforcement staff from about 80 to more than 100, subject to budget approval.
• Black market scale: The Greek government estimates the illegal gambling market at roughly 2 billion euros annually.

What is Response Policy Zone blocking, and why does it matter?

A Response Policy Zone is a mechanism that lets a DNS operator override how a domain name resolves, so a listed domain can be made to fail or redirect instead of connecting the user to the illegal site. By putting banned gambling domains into an RPZ inside its own DNS server, EEEP can enforce a block centrally and update it quickly, rather than depending only on a published register that each internet provider has to action separately. The practical effect is faster, more consistent blocking that is harder for operators to route around.

This is the core of the upgrade. Under the previous approach, domains were placed on a public blacklist, an effective but slower tool that gave nimble operators time to register a fresh domain and resume trading before enforcement caught up. Building the block into the DNS layer is intended to close that gap.

How does the new intelligence loop work?

The new system pairs the gaming regulator with the telecoms regulator to catch illegal sites at the point of registration. Greece's Hellenic Telecommunications and Post Commission, known as EETT, submits weekly reports to EEEP listing newly registered ".gr" and other country-code domains. EEEP then compares those registrations against its blacklist and its intelligence on unlicensed gambling activity to flag domains that appear to be illegal operators setting up shop.

When EEEP identifies an unauthorised gambling domain, it can instruct the relevant registry to suspend it. The domain is deactivated for a period of two months, and can then be permanently removed from the ".gr" or ".ελ" registries. That combination of early detection and registry-level removal is what the regulator hopes will make Greece a harder market for black-market operators to serve.

Why is Greece toughening enforcement now?

The driver is the size and agility of the illegal market. The Greek government estimates unlicensed gambling is worth around 2 billion euros a year, revenue that escapes both taxation and player-protection rules. The regulator has said that illegal operators are increasingly shifting between domains, applications and digital services, a pattern that renders a slow, list-based blocking system ineffective and pushes regulators toward more agile, automated tools.

The reform sits within a broader 2026 push in Greece against illegal gambling that has included tougher penalties. Reported measures in the wider framework include multi-million euro administrative fines for individuals and businesses and criminal sentences of up to 10 years for the most serious offences, alongside the workforce expansion at EEEP.

How does this compare with other European crackdowns?

Greece is not alone in tightening the technical net around unlicensed gambling. Regulators across Europe have leaned harder on domain and payment blocking as the main levers against offshore operators, because chasing the operators themselves across borders is slow and expensive. Denmark, for example, blocked hundreds of illegal gambling sites in 2025 and expanded cooperation with app stores, showing how enforcement is broadening beyond the browser.

Measure	Old Greek approach	New Greek approach
Blocking method	Public blacklist of domains	RPZ blocking inside EEEP DNS server
Detection	Reactive, list-based	Weekly EETT reports on new domain registrations
Domain action	Listed and blocked	Two-month suspension, then possible registry removal
Enforcement staff	About 80	More than 100 (subject to budget)

What has the regulator said?

EEEP has framed the change as a response to operators outrunning traditional blocking.

Illegal operators are "increasingly shifting between domains, applications and digital services," the commission said, requiring regulators to adopt more agile enforcement tools than traditional website blocking.

The logic is straightforward: if the black market moves at the speed of a new domain registration, enforcement has to move at least as fast. Building detection and blocking into the DNS and registry layer is Greece's answer.

What does it mean for licensed operators and affiliates?

For licensed operators, tighter blocking of the black market is good news, because unlicensed rivals compete on price and product without carrying the tax and compliance costs that regulated firms pay. Every euro pushed out of the illegal market is potential revenue for the regulated one. For affiliates and marketers, the message is a warning: promoting or linking to unlicensed operators serving Greece carries growing legal and reputational risk as enforcement tightens and penalties rise.

What are the limits of DNS-level blocking?

DNS blocking is powerful but not absolute, and Greece will still face determined evasion. Users can switch to alternative DNS resolvers or VPNs, and operators can register domains outside the ".gr" space or move to apps and messaging channels that a country-code registry cannot touch. That is precisely why EEEP is pairing the technical block with a weekly registration-monitoring loop and registry-level suspension, and why the regulator describes the threat in terms of operators hopping across domains, apps and services. The system is designed to raise the cost and shorten the lifespan of each illegal site rather than to make evasion impossible.

What happens next?

The immediate dependency is budget. The workforce expansion from about 80 to more than 100 specialists is subject to parliamentary budget approval, and the effectiveness of the new DNS and monitoring system will depend on EEEP having the people to run it. Beyond that, the measure of success will be whether the two-month suspension and registry-removal pipeline actually shrinks the estimated 2 billion euro black market over the coming year. Expect Greece to publish enforcement data as the system beds in.

Frequently asked questions

What is Greece changing about illegal gambling enforcement?

Greece is moving from a public blacklist of banned domains to Response Policy Zone (RPZ) blocking built into the Hellenic Gaming Commission's own DNS server, allowing faster, coordinated blocking of unlicensed gambling sites.

Who enforces gambling rules in Greece?

The Hellenic Gaming Commission, known locally as EEEP, is the gambling regulator. It now works with the telecoms regulator EETT, which reports newly registered domains for EEEP to check against its blacklist.

How big is Greece's illegal gambling market?

The Greek government estimates the illegal, unlicensed gambling market at roughly 2 billion euros a year, revenue that avoids taxation and player-protection rules.

How long are illegal domains blocked for?

Identified domains face a two-month deactivation, after which they can be permanently removed from the ".gr" or ".ελ" registries.

Will DNS blocking stop all illegal gambling in Greece?

No. Users can use VPNs or alternative DNS resolvers, and operators can move to non-Greek domains or apps. The system is designed to make illegal sites harder to reach and shorter-lived, not to eliminate evasion entirely.

Updated July 2026. Figures are as reported by Greek authorities and industry media.