Greece is preparing to receive over €2.1 billion (approximately $2.5 billion) in total investments for two casino resort projects located near Athens, both expected to launch by the summer of 2029.
The Hard Rock Integrated Resort Complex at Elliniko and Project Voria in Maroussi will introduce the first major casino developments in the Athens metropolitan area, with gaming being just one element of a broader hospitality and conference offering.
The larger of the two, the Hard Rock project, is being developed in collaboration with GEK TERNA on the site of the former Elliniko Airport and is estimated to cost €1.8 billion (around $2.07 billion).
This development will feature a 197-meter tower that includes a hotel with 1,100 rooms, a conference center, and an indoor entertainment venue, complemented by various dining and bar options.
Within this expansive complex, there will be a casino spanning 15,000 square meters. Currently, about 20% of the project has been completed.
Executives at Hard Rock Athens IRC emphasize that the resort is primarily aimed at hospitality, entertainment, and conference activities. They anticipate that the development could boost tourist arrivals in Attica by around 10%, with gaming being only a fraction of the overall offerings.
Project Voria will see the relocation of the Regency Casino Mont Parnes to Maroussi under a €380 million (approximately $437 million) mixed-use initiative supported by the Lampsa Group and Intralot. This project will include an 8,000 square meter casino, a five-star hotel, conference facilities, and wellness amenities.
More than half of the area will be designated as public green space, a feature that developers highlight as part of the project's community-oriented aspect alongside its commercial goals.
The ambitious growth in Athens' hospitality sector has raised concerns. Transport experts caution that these developments may significantly increase traffic on the already busy Poseidonos and Kifissias avenues unless there is a corresponding investment in public transport.
In addition to infrastructure issues, industry leaders argue that the focus on gambling-related harm should shift towards online platforms rather than physical venues like the two new projects in Athens.
Dimitris Ntzanatos, the former President of the Hellenic Gaming Commission, pointed out that licensed land-based casinos represent only a small segment of Greece's overall gambling market, with illegal online gambling posing a more significant social challenge.