Greek authorities moved this month to clarify controversial new anti-gambling laws after a wave of damaging public confusion over the legality of conventional computer games.

Law 3037, passed by an overwhelming parliamentary majority in July, was designed to crackdown on an illegal gambling epidemic focused around modified fruit machines and run out of shops, often disguised as internet cafes.

Tourists not at risk

Claims that domestic gaming fans and tourists alike faced arrest under the new legislation prompted a wave of protest, leading the finance ministry to issue guidelines for the application of the law.

It is clarified, finally, that there is no problem with any citizen, or tourist visiting Greece, using or owning electronic or other games such as Playstation, Gameboy, XBox etc," read the new guideline.

The installation and use of games in public or privately owned spaces with no connection to paid services, and their usage, will in no way incur debts by or on behalf of the user, the management or any third party."

The bill had been widely criticised for failing to distinguish initially between fruit machines and mainstream computer games such as Counter Strike and Age of Empires.

Initial arrests

After two arrests at internet cafes, where owners claim not be involved in gambling, campaigners accused authorities have over-reaction to the gambling issue.

"Their attitude is because the tooth hurts, you cut off the head," said Christos Iordanidis, the first net cafe owner to be detained.

A judge in the city of Thessaloniki threw out the first case brought under the gaming bill as "unconstitutional".

Gambling problem

The Greek government passed legislation in July outlawing all electronic or mechanical games in a bid to stamp out a growing gambling problem thought to be costing millions of euros a day.

In an atmosphere of darkness... the parliament has unanimously criminalized the playing of computer games, even over the internet, read a furious statement from the internet cafe owners union.

Greek Campaigners were joined, prior to the clarification, by European gaming heavyweights Sega, Namco and JVH in an appeal against the blanket ban to be heard by the European Commission in October.

Greek Gamers, with the backing of the Thessaloniki-based Internet Cafe Owners' Union launched an online petition that attracted international support and more than 19,000 signatures.