Using a VPN to Play at Online Casinos: Is It Legal?

What is a VPN?

PN is a virtual private network. Today, this is one of the best ways to protect personal data on the Internet by hiding the real IP address of your computer or phone. Services that provide this service allow you to change the geolocation that will be displayed for sites with appropriate filters. Below we will tell you exactly how a VPN works and what opportunities it provides for online casino players.

How VPN works

Every device with Internet access has an IP address. This address works as an identification document – all sites and services on the network see that it is you who visited their page, being, for example, in London. VPN is a service that works like a tunnel. Your data arrives there from London and is forwarded to the selected server, for example, to Berlin. The data then exits from the new IP address and for all sites you will be located in Germany without physically leaving the UK. Your real IP will be untraceable, so this is a great way to protect yourself on the internet, which is filled with scam sites and hackers.

Why VPNs are used for online gambling

In the context of gambling, VPNs are used for many reasons, we will name the main ones:

• Safety. Not all casino sites are legal and provide a safe gaming environment. A VPN will prevent scammers from gaining access to your real IP and taking over your data.
• Access to online casinos. In some countries, only online casinos with a local license are allowed, and Internet providers block access to others. To bypass the ban, just turn on the VPN of another country.
• Access to certain casino games. Some providers only operate in a few jurisdictions. For example, NetEnt games are not available to players in a number of countries, including Denmark, Italy and Portugal.
• Full game functionality. Certain countries have censorship regarding certain game features. For example, in the Netherlands it is prohibited to use Bonus Buy and Autoplay.
• Anonymity. Some people consider their addiction to gambling to be something shameful, while others gamble illegally. In both cases, anonymity is very important, and it is much easier to hide your data using a VPN.

A study of VPN usage by online casino players

According to our calculations, VPN usage among online casino players continues to grow. While 26% of active players used a VPN in 2021, this figure is projected to be 45% by 2025. This data confirms that VPNs are becoming increasingly popular for security and access to blocked casino sites that are inaccessible due to geographical restrictions.

We do not recommend using a VPN to play at online casinos if it is prohibited by casino rules and the laws of your region!

How to use a VPN to play in an online casino?

Regardless of the reasons, using a VPN for gambling needs to be done correctly. This will protect you from unnecessary risks and allow you to get the most out of playing in online casinos. All you need is to choose a high-quality VPN, a quality online casino, and check whether you can play from another country. Follow these simple steps to choose a quality VPN and use it safely and effectively:

• Research options: Read reviews and ratings of different VPN services such as Nord VPN, CyberGhost VPN, HMA VPN.
• Check the number of servers and countries: The more servers and countries, the better. Our recommendation is 50 countries and 1000 servers. This will provide you with more options to bypass geographical restrictions.
• Pay attention to the connection speed: A high speed of at least 50 Mbps connection is important for a smooth and lag-free game. This is especially important if you are playing in Live Casinos.
• Ensure reliability and security: A VPN should have strict security protocols and privacy policies. Use a service with 256-bit encryption to protect your data from hackers and ISPs. A reliable VPN should also use OpenVPN or IKEv2 protocols that provide a stable and secure connection.

Choosing the best VPN

To play safely in an online casino using a VPN, it is first important to choose a company that provides the best service. Pay attention to the number of available servers and countries (the more, the better), versatility (availability of software for computer and mobile), connection speed and reliability. We have selected the 3 best VPNs according to these criteria:

• Nord VPN – the company has 5,500+ servers in 60+ countries around the world. Players note that the service offers maximum protection and is the most reliable of all thanks to unique security protocols.
• CyberGhost VPN – uses 6,500+ servers in 90 countries. It has the highest traffic speed, which is especially important for the game. Experts also note a strict privacy policy, which is very good for the player.
• HMA VPN – the company has only 1,100+ servers, but the largest coverage by country is 210. In addition, users have no complaints about speed or reliability, and the subscription price is several times cheaper than that of competitors.

Nord VPN is one of the most reliable services due to its unique security protocols and data protection.

If we compare the popularity of these VPNs among players, among Android owners Nord is in the lead with 806,000+ reviews, CyberGhost is in second place with 141,000+ comments, and HMA is in third place with 61,000+ reviews. iOS owners preferred CyberGhost – there are more than 13,700 reviews in the App Store. At the same time, there are only 4,900 reviews in the app store for HMA and 1,000 for Nord.

Choosing the best online casino

Even the best VPN in the world won’t protect you if you sign up for an illegal or fraudulent online casino. Therefore, after choosing a service that provides virtual private network services, you need to wisely choose a foreign online casino. To do this, we recommend focusing on the 3 most important criteria:

• Availability of a license. KSA, Curacao eGaming, UK Gambling Commission, Kahnawake GC, others – today there are enough reputable regulators in the world that issue licenses to reliable casinos. You can check the license information in the footer of the site; if it is not there, this is a reason to choose another casino.
• Availability of secure payment methods. Payment systems such as Visa and MasterCard provide payment security by default. But it’s better when you have a choice of several e-wallets with a good reputation and cryptocurrency, and the latter option will be the safest.
• Privacy Policy and SSL Protection. The privacy policy should state that data will not be transferred to third parties without legal reasons. SSL encryption ensures the security of this very data at the time of transmission to the casino server.

Be sure to check licenses and read reviews from other players to avoid fraudulent sites.

In addition, we recommend paying attention to the number of available games – reliable casinos publish from 5,000 to 10,000, and even more. Look for famous brands in the list of providers – NetEnt, IGT, Pragmatic Play and other well-known companies do not work with scammers. And of course, appreciate the casino bonuses – a good casino offers to play on favorable terms through promotions and loyalty programs.

How to play with a VPN without the risk of account blocking

Some online casinos strictly prohibit playing from a certain country. Therefore, if it turns out that you have chosen just such a casino, a VPN can be a death sentence. When verifying your profile, the administration will still find out that you are playing from someone else’s IP. Usually this is followed by account blocking, most often without even the right to a chargeback, since you have violated the basic rules of the casino.

If the casino website is marked VPN-friendly, you have nothing to fear. If there is no such mark, be sure to contact support and find out if you can register and make deposits from someone else’s IP. At the same time, it is important to receive official permission by email, and not a short message in an online chat – this will be your guarantee of withdrawing your winnings after verification.

Advantages and disadvantages of VPN for online casinos

Using a VPN to play at an online casino has both advantages and disadvantages. Of course, a complete list of all the pros and cons will primarily depend on the country you are in – in some regions even a VPN will not help you gain access to gambling, in other strata this is a real opportunity to get the best gaming experience. Before you download a VPN and find an online casino of your choice, carefully weigh all the opportunities that will open up for you and the risks associated with this method of playing.

Benefits of Using a VPN at Online Casinos

Using a VPN to play in an online casino gives the player the following advantages:

• Security – Even if you’re playing at a local casino, connecting from your own country’s VPN is still safer than connecting from a personal IP address.
• Anonymity – if you want to remain incognito, this is the best way to keep your identity secret, at least until the funds are withdrawn.
• More choice – VPN opens access to foreign casinos that are ready to accept you, but are forced to block your geolocation.
• More games – in some cases, changing your geodata allows you to open access to slots, table and live games that are prohibited in your jurisdiction.

Disadvantages and Risks of Using a VPN at Online Casinos

Breaking the rules always comes with certain risks, so you should consider the disadvantages of playing with a VPN:

• Blocking – some online casinos block player accounts if they discover that someone else’s IP is being used for the game.
  Verification – If you are in a restricted country, you will not be able to complete verification.
• Problems with withdrawal of funds – without verification, you may not be paid your winnings, or the payment will be rejected by the bank due to the source of payment.
• Winning void – If you used a VPN to play a game that is not available in your country, your jackpot win may be voided.
• Write-off of bonuses – for the same reason, the use of bonuses in games that are inaccessible without a VPN may be regarded as a violation of the bonus conditions.
• No complaints – in foreign casinos, your rights as a player are practically not protected, so if you have a disagreement with the casino, you have nowhere to turn.

Let us remind you that in some countries, playing in foreign online casinos via a VPN is considered illegal. For example, in Denmark and the Netherlands this implies administrative liability in the form of a fine for the player and the online casino. However, regulators themselves cannot determine whether you are breaking local law. You will have to pay the fine only if you contact them yourself and admit that you played illegally using a VPN.

Using a VPN Safely for Online Gambling: Additional Tips

To get the most out of using a VPN for online gambling, pay attention to the following tips:

• Don’t use a VPN while in a country where the VPN itself is illegal. Fortunately, there are few such countries – China, Russia, Belarus, Turkey, North Korea.
• Use only a proven VPN, even if it costs money – free services do not guarantee your protection and have a limited list of countries.
• Download software only from reliable sources – from the company’s official website, Play Market for Android or Apple Store for iOS.
• Do not gamble even through a VPN if you are a citizen of the UAE, North Korea, Japan, Singapore, Cyprus, Lebanon and Iran.
• When choosing a foreign casino, look for reviews from players who have already played there via VPN and find out about possible problems.
• When using a VPN, check your connection speed before launching games – in some slots and lotteries, every nanosecond can matter.
• Try to use cryptocurrency payments – blockchain technologies will allow you to maintain anonymity and guarantee security.

We remind you that a VPN protects you from hacking and allows you to play in foreign online casinos, but it cannot protect your budget or help you control your addiction. Therefore, remember the principles of responsible gambling, bet only what you don’t mind losing, and know how to stop in time.

Conclusion

A VPN can be seen as your ticket to all the old and new online casinos in the world, and that’s true. Using the IP address of another country, you can visit almost any online casino, enjoy new slots, experience new emotions without the risk of data leakage. By following our simple instructions, you can have a safe gaming experience around the world without leaving your home. However, we still insist that most often this will be a violation of rules and laws. We do not recommend this format of the game, even if all precautions are taken, due to the risks and disadvantages described.