Greek Law Number 3037 was passed on 30th July 2002. According to
an English translation of the law, the “operation and installation
of any game [including electrical, electromechanical and electronic
games] placed in public places such as hotels, cafeterias,
organisation halls and in any other public or private place, is
prohibited.”
The operation of “entertainment technical games,” defined as
“those, whose result depends exclusively on the ability and skill
of the player, and are used solely for entertainment,” is allowed
in “mechanical games,” being “those that depend on one's muscle
force,” although no betting is permitted.
The law also states that the prohibition of using computers
“does not affect internet cafés, as long as the computers are not
used for any gaming activities. To be able to run an internet café,
a special permit is required...”
Penalties for breaching the law include fines of between €5,000
and €75,000 and imprisonment of between one and 12 months.
According to the English on-line edition of Greek newspaper
Kathimerini, the blanket ban was introduced “after the Government
admitted it was incapable of distinguishing innocuous video games
from illegal gambling machines.”
The police authorities are given responsibility for enforcing
the law. The first prosecution under the new law, against an
internet café owner, is scheduled to begin this week.
