Online casinos are becoming more and more popular. However, country restrictions sometimes prevent players from accessing and gambling on certain platforms. This is where VPN services swoop in to “save the day”, if you will.
An increasing number of gamblers are using VPNs nowadaysin order to access gambling sites they find interesting, but are restricted from using because of their location. Still, many casinos detect and prohibit VPN traffic.
The majority of action that casinos get is mostly drawn from slot players. So when a slot enthusiast cannot claim free UK spins no deposit or other incentives that are conducive to playing the game they love on a gambling site they consider appealing, they may very well resort to VPN usage. This, in turn, may lead to sanctions according to UKGC regulations from the respective platforms if players are caught red-handed.
There are, however, alternatives to using this type of service, and we will be discussing them thoroughly in the sections to come, as well as diving deeper into what a VPN does, how it can help you and what the risks of using one may be.
Just what is a VPN?
A virtual private network, otherwise known as a VPN, is a technology that can hide your IP address, the general purpose of it being for more privacy or sometimes so you can access certain websites while traveling from your current location.
As pointed out previously, many gamblers resort to using this technology in order to access betting platforms restricted to their country. Some of them do so out of pure curiosity about a specific casino, others do it for bonus hunting purposes, which in itself is an action that some casinos may discourage.
This type of endeavor will only bring forth consequences for the player, which we will expand upon further below in a separate section.
Using a VPN at Online Casinos
Playing at an online casino while using a VPN is not necessarily illegal as long as that specific platform is VPN friendly. These platforms will allow you to use this service in order to play the games you like while also benefiting from privacy and security.
Many cryptocurrency-oriented casinos allow VPN usage, valuing your wish for an anonymous experience. Others, such as no-KYC crypto casinos, permit you to play, make deposits and withdrawals simply by providing an email and relying on cryptocurrency wallets.
It all sounds ideal, but you mustn’t overlook the fact that even though these platforms boast effortless and speedy registration procedures, they can be quite risky in terms of casino safety. They may practice ambiguous regulations, and there may be payout-related issues as well.
And even if you may use a VPN on these sorts of platforms, it doesn’t mean that you can disregard the rules.
It is acceptable to use this technology in the situations we have listed below:
- There are no restrictions for your actual country.
- You only use one account, and you practice consistent playing habits.
- You’re using a trustworthy and paid VPN.
- You’re respecting age and/ or identity verification requirements.
VPN Prohibition
Gambling regulations can differ significantly from country to country. A certain betting site from one country may have restrictions concerning players from another, thus making it impossible to gamble there legally.
Each gambling platform is within its rights to ban VPN traffic if they consider it threatening. Especially since some players use VPNs to create multiple accounts with the sole aim of bonus hunting. Casinos are certainly entitled to prohibit such actions by blocking IP addresses that appear shared among many gamblers.
How Casinos Detect VPN Traffic
Casinos use a variety of tools to detect VPN use, which include some of the following:
- IP address verifications – many online gambling sites have the ability to identify IP addresses by using public databases.
- DNS leaks – Domain Name System leaks can uncover your real location even if you are using a VPN connection, thus casinos have the liberty of preventing you from logging on to their platform while employing this type of technology.
- Geolocation and browser fingerprinting – Some websites can check your browser fingerprint, details about your device, your time zone and language settings. If anything doesn’t add up, this will raise suspicion.
- KYC verification – Know Your Customer means that platforms will request ID verification in order to prevent identity fraud.
The Risks of Using a VPN
Licensed and regulated betting platforms usually frown upon VPN traffic, and the risks you run if you employ one involve penalties such as:
- Suspension of your account;
- A permanent ban;
- Confiscation of any incentives and/ or winnings;
- Loss of deposited balance or payout restrictions.
All of the aforementioned sanctions could culminate in you being blacklisted across casino networks. In other words, if a company owns multiple casinos, you run the risk of being banned from multiple platforms by disregarding their regulations. This is why we strongly advise that you properly consult the terms and conditions of the casino in question before using a VPN connection to access it.
Conclusion
After having discussed all the intricacies and risks involving VPN use in detail, we’d like to conclude by wholeheartedly encouraging you to practice responsible gambling.
We also want to stress how important it is that you enjoy this form of entertainment at properly licensed casinos. In other words, platforms that enforce clear and straightforward rules and respect your rights as a gambler as well.
