The Greek parliament last week was poised to pass amendments to a contract with OPAP, which holds the exclusive right to offer gaming in the country, that could lead to two casinos, one on Crete and the other on Mykonos.
This could also lead to relocating the Parnitha casino closer to the Greek capitol of Athens.
Parliament is also expected to follow the government program of updating tax status at casinos and the licensing process. The current tax rate ranges from 22 to 35 percent. The goal is to adopt a flat rate for all casinos. The tax status change is seen as most desirable to make it more attractive for investors to invest in bringing a casino to the old Athens airport.
The target of issuing new casino licenses for Crete and Mykonos—a 40 square mile island in the Aegean noted for its party atmosphere—is the tourist trade. Currently the tourist gaming market is largely untapped on those islands.
The government is also looking at online gaming, with the goal of forcing offshore providers to get an internet address in Greece to put them under the jurisdiction of Greek consumer protection and regulation.
