Greece has announced its intention to become the first EU country to enforce strict age restrictions on digital activities, including gambling, for individuals under 18. As part of this new regulation, the country will deploy a parental control tool known as the Kids Wallet application. This application will allow parents to enforce age restrictions on their children’s smartphones and tablets, blocking access to gambling, alcohol, tobacco, and adult content.
The core of the initiative is a dual-age threshold system: children under 16 will be entirely barred from accessing social media, while those under 18 will be prevented from engaging with any online gambling content. This move places Greece at the forefront of a broader EU Commission research initiative on age verification systems, with Greece chosen as one of five pilot countries.
Athens’ strategy to implement parental controls directly on devices, rather than through individual platforms, represents a significant shift. Parents will activate security protocols on their child’s devices, corroborating the age of the device user. With this system in place, the Kids Wallet application will block all content deemed harmful across the specified categories.
This regulation addresses a growing concern within the gambling industry by effectively banning digital advertising and online engagement in gambling for minors at the device level. Traditionally, responsible gambling measures have been enforced by operators through compliance and player monitoring. However, Greece’s approach removes the onus solely from operators, integrating it into a more comprehensive digital regulation framework.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reinforced the country’s position, describing the current digital environment as “the largest uncontrolled experiment ever with the minds of our children.” He expressed concern over the potential long-term impacts and emphasized the government’s commitment to protecting young people.
The European Commission is closely observing Greece’s actions. Earlier in 2025, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, announced that pilot projects on integrated digital identity and verification systems would take place in France, Spain, Greece, Denmark, and Italy. By taking the lead, Greece could potentially serve as a test case for the broader EU implementation of such digital safeguards.
For gambling operators, the development signals a growing regulatory push to categorize gambling alongside other regulated adult activities like alcohol and tobacco. This might set a precedent where device-based models become the norm across European markets, adding layers to existing compliance requirements.
Elsewhere in Europe, similar regulatory pressures are intensifying. In Spain, regulators have introduced stricter advertising rules to control sponsorships and media promotions, while Italy continues to uphold stringent advertising bans under its Decreto Dignità law. These developments highlight a shared European trend towards tighter regulations around gambling and other adult industries.
The immediate impact of Greece’s decision is the blanket prevention of any gambling-related digital interaction for those under 18. This measure is expected to block access to both legal and unlicensed gambling websites and applications, with enforcement relying on parents activating the Kids Wallet app. Operators, however, will likely need to align closely with the new framework and demonstrate full compliance to regulators.
Earlier in 2025, the Hellenic Gaming Commission collaborated with Mindway AI to launch a voluntary self-test for players to evaluate their gambling behavior. The new device-based strategy builds upon this by promoting early-stage prevention, reflecting a broader European shift towards proactive intervention in gambling behavior.
The combination of AI-driven behavioral tools and the introduction of device-level restrictions indicates a significant evolution in Greece’s responsible gambling strategy. If the EU Commission adopts this model across Europe, operators may need to invest in adapting their technological and compliance infrastructures accordingly.
By linking gambling to the same regulatory framework as other adult activities, Greece is integrating the gambling sector into a wider public health and youth protection dialogue. This broader framing could complicate lobbying efforts within the industry, as gambling will no longer be treated as a separate issue but part of a more extensive set of adult activities requiring stringent digital safeguards.
Operators will face challenges in balancing compliance requirements with business development goals. Digital marketing strategies that rely on broad exposure through social media will now face increased scrutiny, particularly where minors are concerned. If device-level enforcement becomes a European standard, operators may need to shift towards first-party data and more targeted marketing channels, reducing reliance on mainstream social media platforms.
Italy, known for its stringent advertising regulations, is also participating in the EU’s pilot scheme on digital verification. With Greece setting the pace, regulatory bodies and operators across Europe are closely monitoring the outcomes. If successful, the EU Commission may advocate for broader implementation, potentially accelerating timelines for adopting device-level controls across multiple jurisdictions.
While parents are responsible for activating these protocols, regulators will likely assess compliance levels and determine if voluntary adoption rates are sufficient. If not, future policies may increase responsibility on device manufacturers or network providers.
This development reinforces the current trajectory within the gambling sector towards stricter age verification, enhanced youth protection, and deeper integration with overarching digital regulatory frameworks. As Greece leads the charge, operators throughout the EU may soon need to navigate a new layer of compliance encompassing platforms beyond their own.
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