Search for…

Greece is beginning to set new standards for digital safety for teenagers

Greece has become the first country in the European Union to launch a large-scale experiment to restrict teenagers' access to digital services. These measures go far beyond a ban on social networks. Now minors face a barrier on the way to gambling, alcohol, tobacco, as well as adult content. The question that concerns not only parents but the entire European digital sector is simple: will the Greek initiative become the first sign of a new era in protecting children online?

New restrictions for teenagers: what is changing

At the core of the innovative measures lies a strict age separation. For children under 16, access to social networks is completely blocked. Teenagers under 18 cannot use online services related to gambling, the purchase of alcohol or tobacco products, and will also not gain access to adult content. These restrictions are being implemented for the first time at the device level, not on an individual web platform.

An important role is assigned to parents. It is they who activate the control system on the child's smartphone or tablet using a special application. This approach radically changes the traditional model, where responsibility lay with content providers.

How the Kids Wallet system works and why it matters

The technical core of the new restrictions is the Kids Wallet application. Parents install it on their child's device and go through the age verification procedure. After age confirmation, the application blocks any attempts to access predetermined dangerous categories: social networks, gambling, alcohol, tobacco, and pornography.

The system is based on the principle of "on-device age verification." This means that any request for unwanted content will be filtered not by the service, but by the smartphone or tablet itself. This approach is becoming a central trend in digital policies in recent years.

Previously, the fight against gambling among minors was built on checks by operators—for example, when registering an account on a website. Now the filter works at the stage of the child's first interaction with the device, taking responsibility beyond just industry boundaries.

A similar protective technology has also been tested in Canada, where on-device age verification systems showed excellent results in limiting teenagers’ access to restricted digital content. Local experts emphasize that the initiative not only reduced exposure to social media risks but also helped ensure safer interaction with online entertainment platforms. Canada’s online casino industry, meanwhile, continues to thrive—these platforms operate strictly for adults and attract users with generous no-deposit bonuses and responsible gaming standards. You can explore how this system works and see examples of current offers on click here, which highlights how digital safety and regulated entertainment can coexist effectively.

Impact on the gambling market and operators

The new rules radically change the usual schemes of access, advertising, and promotion of gambling among teenagers. Now operators will not be able to rely only on internal checks or age filters. Parents will control, and the requirements for internet platforms will become stricter.

"Now not only operators, but every family is in focus," notes youth safety expert Christos Koutsis. Representatives of Greek operators also acknowledge: regulation is becoming comprehensive, and it is impossible to ignore it. The Hellenic Gaming Commission emphasizes that this will help protect youth from early involvement in risky practices.

The experience of Australia, where similar restrictions on youth social networks have already been tested, shows: such steps lead to a decrease in minors' involvement in undesirable digital activities. But they require constant adaptation of tools and interaction with parents and device manufacturers.

European context and EU pilot projects

Greece became the first EU country to implement device-level control. However, similar pilot projects have already been launched by the European Commission in France, Spain, Denmark, and Italy. These projects are aimed at testing digital identification and age verification systems.

In Spain, new restrictions on gambling advertising were introduced at the beginning of 2025—requirements for sponsorship and online promotion were tightened. Italy has long been a leader in strict regulations: the Decreto Dignità law limited not only advertising but all forms of gambling marketing in the digital environment.

The Greek initiative is seen by European Commission experts as a possible prototype for scaling across the entire EU. If the model proves its effectiveness, it may become mandatory for other union countries, leading to a complete change in digital safety standards for teenagers.

Industry reaction and prospects for other countries

Gambling and digital content operators are already assessing the new rules as potentially expensive and requiring technological restructuring. The head of a major European operator notes: "Switching to device control technology will require a revision of the entire marketing strategy and significant investments in compliance."

European politicians, representatives of regulatory bodies, and parent organizations are actively discussing the consequences of introducing new systems. On the one hand, this approach promises to strengthen child protection. On the other—it raises debates about privacy, technical capabilities, and the division of responsibility between family, state, and business.

Many analysts believe that the mass adoption of the Greek model can set new standards for all EU countries. In this case, companies' marketing strategies will inevitably change: the focus will shift from mass promotion through social networks to individual and less public communication channels.

Possible difficulties and implementation issues

The main challenge is parents' readiness to install and use new applications. The level of digital literacy in families varies, and not everyone will be able to set up the system without support. Cybersecurity experts also point to technical limitations: old devices may not support the application, and teenagers may look for ways to bypass the blocks.

Questions also arise about the protection of personal data. Any age verification system implies the collection and storage of sensitive information, which requires transparency and strict control.

According to the Children's Rights Protection Association, truly mass integration of such systems may require not only parental participation but also the involvement of device manufacturers and telecom operators. If the level of application usage turns out to be low, a transition to stricter requirements and automation of control at the operating system level is possible.

Join Skyros