Greek Government Supports OPAP Monopoly Blocking Foreign Operators
Greek blacklist
OPAP will enjoy great times on Greek gaming market as the government decides to block 401 foreign websites.
The latest example is Greece, which has recently announced it will be keeping the controlling stake in its gambling monopoly. Although one third of OPAP has been sold , the government still controls the gambling monopoly. Moreover, it will now block other online operators from offering their gaming opportunities to Greek citizens.
OPAP or the Greek Organization of Football Prognostics, has been prioritized over other gaming companies by the Greek government. The monopoly status has already been ruled illegal by the European Union’s Court of Justice. Although the European Commission has been against the Greek legislation, it has lifted the ban earlier this year, to allow the new Greek gaming laws to come into effect.
According to the new laws, OPAP will enjoy a land-based monopoly on gaming until the end of 2020. OPAP is the only provider, which will be allowed to offer online sports betting, poker games, as well as online casinos in the country. There’s now a blacklist of 401 online gambling websites, which are banned from operating within the country offering services to Greeks.
According to casino gambling news, Greek ISPs were already given the extensive list, and ordered to block access to the sites deemed illegal. Also helping the government to deal with the illegal sites will be the Bank of Greece, which will block financial transactions connected to the banned sites.
The blacklist with 401 companies on it includes the likes of 888 Holdings, Bwin.party Digital Entertainment, Poker Heaven, Party Poker, and many more.
