The company holds the exclusive rights to organize and manage numerical lotteries and sports betting in Greece.
[4] In 2013 the privatization of the company was completed through the sale of the State's remaining 33% stake to the Emma Delta investment scheme.
[5] At the same time of its establishment, a Royal Decree institutionalized the first game OPAP introduced named PRO-PO (the Greek Acronym for Football Prognostics) which was organised along the lines of Italy's Toto Calcio.
[7] During the military junta period, OPAP experienced impressive growth, helped by the promotion of sport by the dictatorial regime.
The increase in agency profit margins, from 5% to 10%, contributed to this expansion as did the introduction of group systems and the valuable gifts that were drawn (cars, trips etc.)
At the end of the decade, agencies had reached 4,000 in number and two more games were introduced, LOTTO and PROTO, the conduct of which led to the significant upgrading of the Organization's computerization.
Besides, 2000 was an important year in OPAP's history as Pame Stoixima, the first legal sports betting game, was launched in Greece.
In 2001 OPAP got listed in the Athens Stock Exchange through a law, according to which, the State could dispense up to 49% of the company's share capital to investors.
[11] In November 2015, OPAP subsidiary, Horse Races S.A. acquired the 20-year horse-race betting licence from HRADF, at the price of 40 million euros.
[27] In 2011, Stanleybet and two other UK-based companies, William Hill and Sportingbet, brought a legal action before the Symvoulio tis Epikrateias (Council of State) after their applications to OPAP for permission to provide sport betting services in Greece were rejected.
The preliminary ruling confirmed that the Greek legislation which granted a gambling monopoly to OPAP was incompatible with EU law.