1. Using a VPN to Access Online Gambling in a Regulated Market If you live in a state where online gambling is not yet regulated, then you have the option of using a VPN.
2. If you plan on using a VPN for online gaming, we highly recommend looking for a provider with servers located nearby to avoid latency issues. On the contrary, if you want to access geo-restricted content such as the US version of Netflix, you’ll want to look for VPN servers located in another country.

It is at that point that you’ll want to turn on your VPN, put yourself in a country where it is legal to gamble online and then place your bets. Before doing so, however, the most important thing to do is to ensure.

There are two main trains of thought when it comes to discussing the use of a Virtual Private Network (VPN). One of them is, ‘if you haven’t done anything wrong, what have you got to hide?’ The other states that the government and internet providers can’t be trusted, so any step that you can take to hide your information from them is sensible and useful in this day and age. VPNs can also be used to make it look like you’re somewhere in the world that you’re not, which is why many people previously used them to access American Netflix shows when they were in England, for example.

There’s a myriad of reasons why a VPN might be a useful addition to your life, but there are just as many things that you’ll need to think about before taking out a subscription and using one. One of the chief things that many bettors might be asking themselves is whether or not placing a wager through a VPN is illegal or whether this practice should be avoided. After all, betting companies will ask you to prove that you’re in the United Kingdom (or the territory where you live) when you open up their app or website and try to place a bet. As betting sites are only licensed to operate in certain regions, and often under different rules, they

On this page we’ll have a look at what VPNs are, how you can use them and whether or not they’re something that you’ll want to add to your arsenal before placing a series of wagers.

What Is A VPN?

As stated in the introduction, the acronym ‘VPN’ stands for ‘Virtual Private Network’. It is, in essence, a simple way to add an extra layer of security to all of your dealings on the internet. Whether you use the internet at home on your own network, at work on one set up by the tech geeks, or out and about on public Wi-Fi, using a VPN can disguise your internet traffic from the Internet Service Provider you use.

The way a VPN works is by connecting remote sites to each other over the public internet via a ‘tunnel’. This ‘tunnel’ is a secure portal that links your computer to websites in a manner that stops anyone else knowing where you’re visiting. They can even make it look as if you’re in an entirely different country, hence the earlier comment about people in the UK using one to make it looks as though they’re in America in order to watch the American Netflix catalogue. It’s about as a secure a way as there is for you to access the internet and disguise what it is that you’re doing.

Using A Vpn To Gamble Online

One thing to bear in mind is that it will only help you disguise your activity if you haven’t already got any malware on your computer. You can install as many apps and misdirection techniques as you want, from VPNs to proxies to private tabs, but if you’ve previously downloaded some malware that gives a foreign agent access to your computer then they’ll still be able to see everything that you get up to. The best thing to do is to make sure that you’ve got some excellent anti-virus software that can thoroughly scan your computer in order to check for any such malware and then help you to delete it.

Why Do You Need To Use A VPN?

There are any number of reasons why you might want to use a Virtual Private Network, with the most obvious being the aforementioned desire to keep your online activity safe. There’s a temptation to think that only people who are up to no good would want to keep themselves invisible online, but that’s simply not true. How would you feel about emails that you’ve sent in haste or anger becoming visible to the whole world? Ones in which you’ve been critical of your other half or had stern words to say about one of your work colleagues? Keeping your internet browser history to yourself can avoid the possibility of such things happening.

Many companies also set up VPNs in order to allow their staff to go anywhere in the world and tap straight into the company’s intranet in a secure and safe manner. Given the ever-changing nature of cyber security and the increasing possibility of the likes of industrial espionage or even just some information that needs to stay private and safe falling into the wrong hands, it makes sense that even the smallest firm might want to take precautions to help its staff access everything they need to when out and about. The sort of public internet access you’re able to get onto in a hotel or coffee shop is about as unsafe it’s possible to be, so making sure that you’re protected against someone being able to view what you’re looking at when using it can be crucial.

The other big reason for using a VPN is to give both your computer and the site you’re accessing the idea that you’re in a different place from where you actually are. This can be useful if you’re trying to do something like access restricted content from a country where they don’t let you do so, telling the site that you’re in Maidenhead when you’re really in Melbourne, for example. Yet using it for entertainment purposes is only one strand of why you might want to employ a Virtual Private Network to spoof your location. The use that we’re obviously most interested in here is gaining access to betting applications that normally require you to be in your home country to use them. The big question is, is it legal to do so?

Is It Illegal To Use A VPN?

The first thing to say about using a Virtual Private Network is that they are safe to use and, in most cases, entirely legal. We say ‘in most cases’ because there are some countries that have banned the use of VPNs entirely. Given that a VPN can allow you to access sites that might occasionally be banned, such as Facebook, Twitter or Snapchat, it’s not entirely surprising that it’s the more authoritarian nations that have clamped down on their usage. We’re talking about the likes of North Korea, China and Russia - places where the state wants to control as much of what it’s citizens can access and do online as possible.

Obviously there are hundreds of countries around the world, so we’re not going to list everyone here. We will, however, put a list of the countries where it is currently illegal to use a VPN. If a country isn’t on this list then it’s fair to assume that it’s legal to use a Virtual Private Network there:

• China
• Iran - The only ‘legal’ VPNs are registered with the government
• Iraq
• North Korea - Only certain VPNs are allowed
• Oman - It’s not ‘illegal’ to use a VPN here, but most providers are blocked
• Russia - VPN websites are blocked, though VPN traffic is allowed
• Turkey - It’s not illegal to use a VPN, but many of the VPN sites are blocked
• Turkmenistan - It’s not clear whether VPNs are blocked here, but Turkmenistan is one of the most heavily censored countries in the world when it comes to internet access
• United Arab Emirates - VPNs are only illegal ‘if used to commit a crime’

Two of the most interesting countries when it comes to Virtual Private Networks are the United Kingdom and the United States of America. In the UK, VPN usage is entirely legal. However, VPN companies may be forced to give access to the government because of the Investigatory Powers Act. There have also been internet carriers in the past that have blocked some VPNs. In the US, meanwhile, they are also legal but potentially subject to monitoring by the FBI and NSA etc. Since the Senate Joint Resolution 34 was introduced, overturning an Obama-era FCC rule, ISPs are now allowed to monitor what you do depending on the state you’re in.

Are You Allowed To Use A VPN To Bet and Gamble?

Knowing which countries consider the use of a Virtual Private Network to be legal and which ones don’t is only half of the battle, of course. The main question that still needs answering is whether or not it’s legal to actually place bets whist using a VPN. The answer to that is, as you might imagine given the rest of the topic, slightly complicated.

The first thing to bear in mind is that you have to live in a country where it is legal to gamble online. That’s a complex topic in and of itself, with some countries being more lenient than others when it comes to having a flutter over the internet. It’s important, therefore, for you to have an account in a country where it’s legal for that company. It’s also worth noting that every country you’re in will have its own rules regarding betting, so it might not matter that you live in England and have an account there if you’re in a country where you’re not allowed to gamble. That becomes even more complicated if you’re in America, given that different states will have different rules.

In other words, even if you’re from a country where online gambling is legal and you have an account there, you’ll still be breaking the law of the country you’re in if you use a Virtual Private Network to circumnavigate their rules. Given that the best VPNs allow you to select the country you want to tell you’re network that you’re located ‘in’, you can ‘spoof’ your location to trick the betting company that might otherwise block you from placing wagers. The problem with that is, as mentioned, that you could still get into trouble with the government of the nation you’re in when placing your bets.

Betting Site Rules On Using VPN's

From the betting sites point of view they often do not care what reasons you are using a VPN for, if they catch you betting using one they will likely terminate or at least limit your account. Most of the gambling companies you sign up with will have terms stating you cannot use a VPN to conceal your identity and many now employ software to try to spot those repeatedly using VPN's.

It's not just masking the country you are in that concerns online bookmakers and casinos, they also know that VPN's can be used to conceal I.P. addresses helping users to sign up under several aliases. This trick is often to claim multiple welcome bonuses and falls under the category of 'bonus abuse'.

In basic terms while you may get away with using a VPN on occasion it is not allowed with the vast majority of betting sites. If you are using a VPN because you are abroad and you don't want to miss a bet or an offer then you will possibly get away with this on occasion, anyone betting on a regular basis using a VPN, especially from a restricted territory will likely be banned if caught.

Even if gambling is legal in the country where you are trying to access the site from the gambling laws will likely be different. Let's take an example where you have an account with a bookie or casino in say the UK and they also operate in Spain. You happen to be in Spain and want to place a bet but you can't login to the Spanish version of the site using your existing credentials, this is likely because they gambling laws are different and this would require you therefore to open a new Spanish account. The issue now is to open an account in Spain you would need to be a resident, therefore many people would use a VPN to access the UK site pretending they are in the UK and this is not allowed.

Trying To Place A Bet Using A VPN

If you are in a country where betting online is illegal, like the US for example, and you attempt to access one of your online accounts then you’ll likely get a notification that says something like ‘You are not permitted to access this service from the country that you are in’. That will be either because the country doesn’t allow betting, the company you’re trying to use won’t allow you to bet from outside your home nation or because the company has been banned from operating by the country you’re in for some other reason, even though online gambling itself is legal.

It is at that point that you’ll want to turn on your VPN, put yourself in a country where it is legal to gamble online and then place your bets. Before doing so, however, the most important thing to do is to ensure that you won’t be breaking any laws in doing it. You’ll also want to check what the rules are with your betting company, given that some are quite specific about the use of VPNs to access their service. The last thing you want to do is place a winning bet and then discover that the betting site won’t pay out because you used a Virtual Private Network to do so!

How To Choose A VPN

Let’s say you’ve done your research and are confident that it’s legal to use a VPN in the country that you find yourself in and online gambling is legal. You also know that the betting company you are signed up with is happy for you to access its service via a Virtual Private Network, provided you’re based in a country where they offer their services and have your account there and are only visiting the other country. The final question you need to ask is what you should be looking for for a VPN provider. When it comes to betting online, the following qualities are arguably the most important:

• Do they have a good reputation? Have a look at review sites to establish this
• Do they log which sites you visit?
• Some companies only offer the most basic protocols, but ones with added layers of security are worth looking out for
• Are they registered in a country that forces companies to share your data? If so, you might want to reconsider using them
• What payment methods do they allow? Some are more anonymous than others

You’ll always be best off avoiding the free VPN providers, as tempting as they might be to use for your cashflow. They’ll always be more likely to make their money in other ways, perhaps by selling your details on to less reliable third parties. As with every aspect of using a Virtual Private Network, doing as much research as you can will put you in the best possible situation moving forward.

Plenty of people use virtual private networks to keep their details safe when browsing the internet. They want to protect themselves from hackers and ensure that their personal details don’t get stolen.

VPNs are also quite useful to gamblers as well. A gambler can use one of these services to play at sites they might not be able to access otherwise.

Of course, gambling sites in restricted jurisdictions block countries for a reason. Therefore, you may wonder if it’s illegal to gamble with a VPN at all.

This guide covers the basics of using a VPN along with the legality of the situation. It also discusses how the law specifically applies to VPN gambling.

How Does a VPN Work?

As the name implies, virtual private networks offer more privacy when you’re online. They also give you an extra layer of protection against cyber criminals.

Hackers try intercepting personal details, banking details, or any other information they get their hands on. These scammers can use such info to steal an identity, money from a bank account, cryptocurrencies, and other things of value.

Large companies became the first customers of VPN services. They used, and still use, virtual private networks to protect their sensitive information.

Of course, anybody can use long passwords and update their security settings frequently to protect info. But virtual private networks are the next step in ensuring that one doesn’t get hacked.

When you normally access the internet, you’re using an unsecure connection. Skilled criminals who want to steal your financial or personal details can trace this connection back to your IP address.

When on a VPN, though, you access the internet through a remote server. This server could be located in another city or even an entirely different country.

In either case, the virtual private network safeguards your location. It’s akin to a special wall built around your connection that keeps scammers out.

Put another way, the remote server accesses the internet for you. That said, prying eyes won’t know your true location if they try intercepting data.

A VPN Masks Your Location When Gambling

You can see that VPNs are highly useful for protecting your online activities. Of course, gambling sites already do a good job of this themselves through Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology.

SSL encrypts information that you exchange with an online casino, poker room, or sportsbook. Most gambling sites use the highest level of SSL available.

You can still rely on a VPN for even more protection from criminals. However, you should be just fine thanks to SSL.

The real benefit of VPN gambling involves accessing sites that would normally be unavailable to you. For example, you might be from the US and want to play at the top UK online casinos.

Of course, the UK has a highly regulated gambling market that bars other countries. You won’t get any further than the homepage when visiting a British casino from America.

A VPN helps you get around this problem by masking your location. Again, these services access the internet for you from a remote server.

Most VPNs allow you to choose the location of the server you want to use. In the example above, you could select a London-based server to enjoy UK gaming sites.

Of course, you may question the point of circumventing British gambling laws when US residents can access offshore casinos.
Here are potential reasons why you might consider gambling with a VPN even when bookmakers, casinos, and poker rooms are already available to you:

• You want to play for a big progressive slots jackpot that’s unavailable in your region.
• You’re interested in a huge casino, poker, or sportsbook bonus.
• You want to play casino games from a certain software provider (e.g. NetEnt).
• You’re looking to play at large online poker sites (e.g. PokerStars) that aren’t available.

Most Countries Let You Use a VPN for General Purposes

Virtual private networks have earned a bad reputation for some of the activities that they hide. Illegal online gambling is just one of many crimes that you can commit using these services.

Nevertheless, most countries allow the residents to employ VPNs for general purposes. The average government has no problem with somebody using a service to protect themselves online.

Of course, laws aren’t the same across the board. Some nations completely ban virtual private networks to reduce any potential criminal element.

China, North Korea, Oman, and Russia are examples of places that don’t allow citizens to use VPNs under any circumstances. They treat VPN usage as a criminal matter.

You most likely won’t run into any legal trouble when using a virtual private network. However, you should consider checking your state‘s and country’s laws before doing so.

North Korea, for instance, has stiff punishments for those who use such services. You could wind up in jail if you’re caught using a VPN. This is why it’s so important to know local laws regarding virtual private networks.

Of course, no country allows you to break laws with these services. You can’t legally cyberstalk somebody, download copyrighted material, and hack into private networks just because you’re on a VPN.

Even the operators themselves have an obligation to report suspicious activity. Don’t expect your VPN provider to run cover if they believe you’re breaking the law.

Illegal Gambling Is Illegal Gambling

As long as your state or country allows virtual private network usage, you aren’t breaking the law by gambling with one. You might just be looking for more protection while betting online.

However, states and countries with regulated gambling markets often block those outside of their borders. Italy, for example, doesn’t allow the world to use their legal gaming sites.

Their regulated internet gambling market only applies to Italians. You can’t legally use a virtual private network to play at their sites.

The same concept goes with any other regulated jurisdiction. France, Spain, Sweden, and the UK are all examples of nations that have internet gambling laws and regulations in place.

You stand almost zero chance of being arrested when using a VPN to break gambling laws in most countries. However, these chances increase when you’re living somewhere like Russia or Oman.

Your Funds Will Likely Be Confiscated

Again, you probably won’t deal with legal retribution for VPN gambling. But you could face potentially harsh penalties at whatever site you’re using.

Many sites state that they have the right to confiscate your funds for violating their terms and conditions. You’ll definitely be breaking terms and conditions by using a virtual private network to get around country restrictions.

At this point, the gambling site has two options:

• Refund your deposit and close your account.
• Confiscate your funds and close your account.

Either way, you’ve broken the terms and conditions, and you won’t be welcome any longer. The only question is whether the site will also take your money.

The latter happens quite often in these situations. You must be fully aware and prepared for losing your money if an operator catches you violating their terms.

Should You Gamble With a VPN?

The best-case scenario when gambling online is to live in a top-tier regulated jurisdiction (e.g. UK). This way, you don’t need to break laws to gamble at great sites.

However, you may run into situations where you can’t use the best casinos, poker sites, and bookmakers. You might think about breaking the law and a site’s terms and conditions in such cases.

Fortunately, you don’t have to fear being arrested in most cases. Only countries with draconian laws on VPN usage will consider taking extreme action.

But you do need to worry about what will happen to your funds and potential winnings. Certain real money online casinos have confiscated players’ money in these scenarios.

PokerStars caught pro Gordon Vayo using a VPN when he won an online tournament worth $692,000. They refused to pay him the $692k prize.

Use Vpn Online

Vayo initially sued Stars for the winnings. However, he later withdrew the lawsuit after PokerStars proved that Vayo provided forged bank statements as evidence.

You may never win the type of money that inspired gambling sites to take a second look at your true location. However, you should keep Gordon Vayo’s story in mind assuming you do have dreams of winning big.

Conclusion

Using Vpn To Gamble Online Courses

Using a VPN to get around a state’s or country’s online gambling laws is technically illegal. The UK, for example, blocks outsiders from gambling on their sites.

They don’t block other nations from their market for fun. The UK fully expects residents of other countries to follow their laws and gamble elsewhere.

Even still, illegal VPN gaming isn’t the world’s worse crime. You’re unlikely to face any repercussions when masking your location with a virtual private network.

Using Vpn To Gamble Online Poker

The main thing that you need to worry about involves having your winnings and bankroll confiscated. Most sites leave themselves an avenue to do so if they catch you wrongly using a VPN.

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