History of gambling in Greece

The history of gambling in Greece goes back several millennia and is inextricably linked with the culture, mythology and philosophy of the people. Here excitement was perceived not only as entertainment, but also as a way of knowing fate - from the lot of the gods to modern lotteries. The Greeks were the first to give the games a sacred meaning, and then an institutional form that has survived to this day.

1) Antique roots: playing as part of a myth

Ancient sources (Homer, Herodotus, Plato) often mention bones, astragales and lots - the predecessors of modern games.

According to the myth, the gods divided the world by lot: Poseidon received the sea, Zeus - the sky, Hades - the underworld. This legend has become a symbol of fatalism and excitement.

The game was as much a ritual as a leisure, with priests throwing dice to learn the will of the gods and soldiers to determine who would be the first to fight.

2) Excitement and philosophy

Plato in The State condemned excessive enthusiasm for games, but recognized their importance as a metaphor for chance and choice.

Aristotle interpreted luck as a manifestation of probability - one of the first philosophical approaches to chance.

Gambling was perceived as a test of character: winning was not considered a virtue, but the ability not to succumb to passion was valor.

3) Medieval and ecclesiastical prohibitions

After the establishment of Christianity, gambling was recognized as sinful.

Byzantine emperors periodically imposed bans on bones and maps, considering them a product of paganism.

Despite the bans, games continued to exist in everyday life - especially among sailors and soldiers, where they were considered a way to pass the time and test fate.

4) Renaissance and Ottoman era

In the XVII-XIX centuries in Greece (under the rule of the Ottomans), gambling moved to cafes, taverns and private houses.

Game forms varied: dominoes, cards, chips, fortune telling.

After independence (1830), excitement again became a legal part of leisure, but under strict public control.

5) XX century: the formation of the industry

The first official casino - Casino de Loutraki (1928) - became a symbol of a new era. It combined European elegance and Greek openness.

Following him, casinos appeared in Parnassus, Rhodes and Florin, as well as the first national lotteries.

After World War II, the gambling industry became a tool for economic recovery and tourism.

6) Regulation and state control

Since the 1990s, gambling in Greece has come under state supervision.

The operator OPAP (Greek Organization of Football Prognostics) was created - a monopoly on lotteries and bets.

In 2011, a law was introduced on licensing online gambling, which opened the market for private companies.

The Hellenic Gaming Commission (EEEP) regulator has set transparent standards for casinos and online operators.

7) The modern scene

Today, more than ten licensed casinos and dozens of online platforms operate in Greece.

Lutraki, Pefkohori, Porto Karras, Rhodes and Parnassus casinos are centers of tourism and nightlife.

Online gambling has become part of the digital economy, and OPAP remains the largest source of tax revenue from games.

Responsible Gaming is actively developing in the country: limits, self-exclusion, training for dealers and anti-fraud systems.

8) Excitement and culture

In film and literature, Greek directors often show excitement as part of human drama - between freedom and fate.

20th-century rembetiko songs describe night games, card stories, and the philosophy of luck.

Modern festivals (for example, poker series in Athens and Loutraki) return excitement to the cultural channel - as a competition, not addiction.

9) Greece Today: Balancing Tradition and Innovation

The Greek gambling model is based on transparency, responsibility and cultural respect for the past.

The development of online gambling and live casinos is combined with the tourist attractiveness of the country.

By 2030, Greece could become a regional hub for licensed operators in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Gambling in Greece has gone from the lot of the gods to digital casinos. This story is a reflection of the philosophy of a country where fate, freedom and luck are intertwined into a single cultural code. Today, Greece retains respect for its ancient tradition, developing a modern industry with a European level of responsibility and technological maturity.