Greece proposes new online gambling licensing plans

The Ministry of Finance of Greece has published its much expected and long-delayed proposals to restructure the country’s online gambling field. There is good news and bad news for the 24 gambling operators who have been functioning on “transitional” permits since 2011. The good news first. The 24 operators will get a chance to apply for new licenses. The bad news? They will have to shell out €4million for a new licnese for sports betting alone. For any additional gambling services like there will be an additional licensing fee of €1 million.

According to the new proposals, the new licenses will be valid for five years, and operators must apply for renewal at least one year in advance of the license expiration, with renewal fees equal to the original license fee.

Applicants must submit a deposit of €500k and demonstrate that they hold a license to operate online in another European Union market, along with records of their previous three years of financial performance.

Applications would not be available to any operator whose name has appeared in Greece’s online gambling blacklist in the 12 months prior to submitting their application. Among the most recent additions to the blacklist include multiple brands associated with UK-listed GVC Holdings.

It also remains to be seen whether the unresolved €187m back-tax demand submitted in January to GVC will preclude the company from either applying for or receiving a new Greek license. GVC has put aside money to cover this tax obligation, which it is challenging in court.

Applicants must base their Greek-facing operations’ servers within the country and establish accounts with locally licensed payment processing institutions. Operators must also conduct their Greek-facing business via a dot-gr domain.

The new licensing plan includes a variable tax on online gamblers’ winnings, which are to be withheld by the operator for remitting to the taxman. Winnings under €100 would not be taxed, but winnings above €100 but less than €500 will be hit with 15 per cent tax, while winnings above €500 will be taxed at 20 per cent.

The government’s list of its new online rules do not specify whether it has had a change of heart regarding its original plans to tax operators’ revenue at 35 per cent. Given Greece’s significant unpaid debts to its international moneylenders, it seems doubtful that the government would offer operators any breaks on this point.

The Ministry has opened a consultation into its proposed online regime, and interested parties are invited to submit their proposals, opinions and comments by October 5. Applicants will learn of their acceptance within two months of filing, and the failure to learn of a positive vote will be considered a rejection of their application.

Last month, Greece’s Gaming Supervision and Control Commission revealed that total online sports betting turnover at its 24 temporary licensees hit nearly €5.3b last year, around €300m higher than the previous year. Spending at Greek-facing operators not holding a local license was reportedly worth an additional €5b.

Source: calvinayre.com