If you have been on the web recently, there is no way you have not heard of VPNs (Virtual Private Networks). These extensions have become extremely popular, used by millions of people worldwide, with numbers surging during the global pandemic. VPNs allow users to enjoy safer online browsing, by virtually changing their locations. In addition to ensuring better protection online, VPNs have also become tools used to unlock a variety of otherwise inaccessible content.
As you know, despite its massive popularity across the world, online gambling still has not been legalised in many countries. While some jurisdictions show certain indifference to people engaging in illegal virtual gambling, other countries have harsh laws against those participating in unregulated online gambling.
In the last few years, VPNs have become popular among players seeking ways to access restricted gambling websites. That way, they can bypass the restrictions, join virtual casinos and even play for real money online. Not only do VPNs allow players from restricted countries to play casino games, but they are often able to redeem casino incentives.
While VPNs give virtual players certain freedom to enjoy their favourite casino games, using this type of software for illegal virtual gambling could be extremely risky. Many jurisdictions are taking harsh measures to restrict access to illegal gambling websites, with some governments even implementing penalties for those caught using VPNs to illegally gamble online.
The Way VPNs Work for Online Gambling
VPNs allow you to mask your IP address and keep you protected by encrypting your internet connection. That will enable you to browse through a private network, keeping you protected from malicious attacks. In addition to that, VPNs allow you to connect to servers located in other parts of the world, ultimately allowing you to unlock content that may otherwise not be available where you are located.
The function allowing you to browse the internet as if you are located in another country is the main reason why VPNs are preferred by many online casino players who have no legal options available in their jurisdictions. By using VPNs, players can register at foreign virtual casinos and even redeem various bonuses that can be used to gamble at the respective online casino.
The majority of interactive casinos operate in certain jurisdictions thanks to the licences they have obtained by the respective authorities in these territories. While some casino licences will enable operators to offer their services in several parts of the world, other licences are restricted only to legal operations in a specific country. For example, the Gambling Commission in the UK (UKGC) issues licences that only authorise online casino operations within the territory of the UK.
If you want to play at a virtual casino that has been licensed by the UKGC, you will need to be physically located in the UK. What is more, you will not be allowed to play at an online casino if it has not been licensed by the local authority. Even though there are quite a few respectful casino operators licensed by the UKGC, the choice British players are having is somewhat restricted.
As the gambling restrictions in the UK are getting tougher, there are many Brits that are considering joining unlicensed virtual casinos. To prevent unlicensed online gambling, however, the authorities in the UK have blocked access to a long list of web casinos. That is why players need to mask their IP addresses using VPNs to play at unlicensed virtual casinos.
Another common reason why players might resort to using VPNs to play on casino websites is being away. Even if the jurisdiction where you reside might have regulated online gambling, if you are on a vacation in another country or territory, you may not be allowed to access your casino account. Thankfully, using a VPN might allow you to browse from your country of residence, rather than your current location, and log into your casino account.
In the case of being away, you will simply use a VPN to access the casino from the country you usually reside in. That way, instead of using the software for illegal gambling, you are simply playing your favourite casino games and the website you normally visit when you are at home. In fact, using a VPN might be the only way to access your virtual casino account if you are visiting certain countries with strict gambling regulations.
How Some Players Use VPNs to Redeem Casino Bonuses
Naturally, if you are not allowed to play on certain casino websites due to the country of your residence being restricted, then the casino’s promotions will not be available as well. However, if you change the country you are browsing from with a VPN, you might be able to open an account with a virtual casino and even redeem bonuses offered by the casino.
While using VPNs to simply redeem casino bonuses that would not otherwise be available to them, some players are utilising this tool for other casino bonus schemes. Usually, interactive casinos tend to offer their new members very generous welcome offers. These usually include either no deposit incentives or match bonuses that can match your first ever deposit with up to a 100% or even 200% bonus.
While welcome offers are extremely rewarding, they are one-time offers that cannot be redeemed by regular players who have already joined the casino some time ago and have already claimed other bonuses. As many casino players are looking for ways to redeem welcome offers multiple times, some resort to the use of VPNs to create new accounts over and over again. With some VPNs allowing you to choose different IP addresses to browse from, there are casino players who create multiple casino accounts to play from. Creating new accounts from seemingly different locations may allow players to redeem the same welcome bonus several times.
While redeeming the same welcome promotion may sound like a great idea, you should keep in mind that this is a form of bonus abuse. If you are caught using multiple accounts to enjoy the same casino bonus, you risk losing all of your bonus funds and even getting banned from the virtual casino. Most gaming operators are adamant about players following bonus terms and conditions, avoiding any attempts of bonus abuse.
Consequences of Using VPNs for Online Gambling
We should start by saying that while VPNs technically can allow you to browse online casinos from a location different from your current one, it is very likely that you will not be allowed to play at foreign virtual casinos. No matter the VPN you are using, you should know that casino operators are well aware of the fact that many offshore players are relying on VPNs to access their websites. However, as licensed casinos are often obliged to follow strict rules, they take measures to prevent access from restricted areas.
In many cases, you may be able to open an account with an offshore casino by using a VPN and a disposable address. However, as soon as you try to play for real money, you risk being blocked right away and banned from the virtual casino. In some cases, you may be able to deposit money to your casino account and even play for real money while using a VPN. However, as soon as you request a withdrawal of your winnings, you will most probably be denied your withdrawal, with the casino suspending your account after confiscating your gaming funds.
If you, however, have used a VPN to redeem a casino bonus, especially if you have resorted to this software to redeem the same offer several times, you risk losing all of your casino money. If you take a look at the general bonus terms and conditions of most virtual casinos, you will see that companies have the right to confiscate your money if you are involved in some sort of bonus abuse. Even if it seems unfair for a casino to confiscate your deposit along with bonus funds, you will not be able to turn to any authority for help since you will be engaging in illegal online gambling by using a VPN.
One thing to keep in mind is that even if you manage to open an account with a virtual casino by using a VPN, you will most likely not be able to play even in a fun mode at most licensed casinos. This is due to the strict verification process that most interactive casinos will require you to go through. For instance, any gambling operator licensed by the UKGC must require their new members to verify their identity before they are allowed to play for real money.
The most common way players are required to prove their address and age is by providing a copy of their ID. Naturally, players who use VPNs to access UK virtual casinos will most likely use fake addresses to create their accounts. That way, however, they will not be able to verify their profiles and will not be able to play for real money. This eliminates the need to block VPN users, with casinos simply suspending the accounts of players who are unable to verify their identities.
Are There Any Legal Consequences for Gambling Using VPNs?
Even though most licensed virtual casinos take various steps to restrict access for foreign players using VPNs, there are still gaming websites that will not stop you from using a VPN to access them and play for real money. The payment methods that are supported by most online casinos typically include services that are commonly used in specific countries. Obviously, this is another obstacle for VPN users as they might often be restricted when it comes to the payment solutions they can use.
To ensure a safer gambling environment some countries have introduced laws that restrict local banking institutions from accepting gambling-related transactions. UK players, for instance, will not be allowed to use credit cards or even e-wallets funded via credit cards for their gambling deposits and withdrawals. However, VPN users usually opt for foreign casinos that are less strict with the payment solutions they support. It is common for players who choose to gamble via VPNs to opt for Bitcoin casinos as crypto payments are very difficult to be traced.
You may be wondering if there are any legal consequences for players who use VPNs to play at foreign online casinos. The truth is, there are rarely any cases of players being prosecuted for participating in illegal gambling via VPN. The laws restricting access for players residing in excluded territories apply to licensed operators. That is why the casinos are the ones that may suffer legal consequences if they accept foreign players who use VPNs to play at foreign casinos. In most cases, operators may face financial penalties if they are caught allowing VPN users to participate in unregulated online gambling.
Should You Risk Using VPNs for Online Gambling?
Using a VPN to unblock restricted casino content may sound very tempting. Resorting to the use of this type of solution may allow you to browse gaming websites from different parts of the world and enjoy gambling content that you would not have access to otherwise. Some players also try to use VPNs to repeatedly redeem some of the best bonus promotions casinos have.
Even though many find the appeal in using VPNs for online gambling, it should be noted that this is a very risky endeavour. If you are wondering whether it is a good idea to use a VPN to access an offshore casino, we suggest you consider all the possible risks you will be taking. To help you decide whether it is worth it to use a VPN to gamble online, we will compare the pros and cons of this type of activity.
Some of the positives you might enjoy if you use a VPN to play at online casinos include:
- Accessing virtual casinos that are otherwise restricted
- Getting better casino bonuses
- Redeeming the same bonus multiple times by opening several accounts
Here are the negative sides of utilising VPN as a tool to participate in online gambling:
- Many online casinos will detect the use of a VPN and will not allow you to play
- Casinos may suspend your account and ban you from creating another profile
- If you are accused of bonus abuse, you may lose both your deposit and bonus money
While there are rarely any cases of players facing any serious consequences from using VPNs to redeem casino bonuses and gamble online, this is still a rather risky activity. Some jurisdictions have strict laws against illegal gambling and you may face a fine or another type of penalty if you are caught using a VPN to gamble at an offshore online casino. As many web-based casinos will not even allow you to enjoy your winnings if you are caught using a VPN, we believe it is not worth it to risk playing using this type of tool. That said, as players from certain countries have no other way to enjoy online gambling, there are still many players willing to take the risk of using VPNs on foreign casino sites.
Closing Thoughts on Using VPNs for Online Gambling
Online gambling is a lucrative business with many people around the world making money off it. However, not every country has regulated this type of activity, with many players worldwide looking for legal loopholes to enjoy virtual gambling. That is the reason why VPNs have become extremely popular among online casino fans from different parts of the world, using this type of tool to easily access restricted casino sites.
A VPN is a service you can subscribe to, encrypting your traffic and hiding your IP address. It makes it seem like you are in another country by routing all of your traffic through a different server. That said, online casinos are often held responsible for ensuring a safe gambling environment, which is why they take measures against attempts of illegal gambling.
The use of VPNs will often lead to no fruitful results as players may not be able to withdraw any of the money they have won during their VPN gaming sessions. In some cases, virtual casinos may even suspend one’s deposit if they are caught in bonus abuse using a VPN to redeem the same bonus several times.
Even though some players are willing to risk getting banned from some casinos for using VPNs, others will be better off using such a tool for what is basically illegal online gambling. At the end of the day, it is up to you to decide whether it is worth it to use VPNs to access restricted online casinos but we advise you to stick to licensed operators or simply abide by the laws of your country and not gamble online.
