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Why Using a VPN to Gamble Online is Still the Smart Play in 2021
By Shane Addinall Apr 21, 2021Online gamblers are increasingly using VPN software when playing at online casinos and sportsbooks to better secure their privacy. Explore with us the ins and outs of VPN technology and how it is the smart option for players wanting to gamble online.Online gamblers continually seek out clever methods to safeguard their internet connections and increase their privacy when they are playing, but can you blame them? Gambling is a money game and wherever money transfers take place online, there runs a high risk of criminal activity.
It is for this reason, that many gamblers make use of third-party security software to protect their interests.
One such security software tool is a VPN. Unlike virus and malware blockers, these nifty tools have a way of confusing potential hackers and fraudsters, providing a firewall passage for you to access the net anonymously. For this very reason, they provide a smart way for you to play in an age where cybercrime is on a rampant increase.
This article serves to introduce you to the concept of VPN gambling. Explore with us the nature of the software, the benefits and features it offers, and the legalities involved in using one within the context of online gambling.
What is a VPN and how does it work?
VPN stands for ‘’Virtual Private Network’’. It was initially used by corporations to protect sensitive information being transferred across various networks online, by creating a secure channel or network portal on the web. In essence, the software grants you access to remote servers under the control of your VPN host so that you can mask your location and safeguard your activities.
VPNs are now available to private consumers through downloadable software. While there are several free VPNs up for grabs on the internet, the best ones are the ones you pay for, as this software is continually updated to provide the best and most secure services possible.
VPN software’s primary function is to hide your location’s IP address so that websites and potential hackers cannot trace your actual network location. Instead, the VPN host provides you with a virtual platform from which to operate in the given region you choose to access. It redirects your traffic and access to the web from your local ISP. While the internet speeds are marginally slower thanks to the various redirects, the channel is far more secure this way.
Did You Know: While VPNs often slow your internet speeds because of their rerouting aspects, sometimes they can be used to increase your internet experience when your own ISP is labouring or is experiencing technical difficulties.
All the data that you send along this channel is heavily encrypted. If anyone tries to access the information, it will just render as gibberish. It would take a very long time for any hacker or fraudster to unencrypt the security protocols protecting you.
The General Benefits of Using a VPN
Before we can understand the benefits that VPNs give gamblers, we need to explore the general advantages and features offered by virtual private networks. This includes:
- Secure encryption: With the help of a VPN, your online activities remain private – even on public platforms. The data is encrypted and can take years to decipher by hackers and fraudsters.
- Disguise your location: A VPN server acts as your proxy online. Instead of websites tracing your activities back to you, they can only get as far as the proxy platform. In many cases, these proxy servers do not record your history or pass it on to third-party servers. This means that no marketing companies can use your web searches to target you with spam advertising.
- Secure data transmission outside your region: If you work remotely from your business headquarters and you need to access files securely, you can use a VPN server to retrieve the information. The extra encryption offered by the servers reduces the risk of information leakage.
- Access region-locked content: Some websites use GEO tagging to lock out certain IP addresses from various regions. This may cause issues if you are travelling for business and need to access a website back home that is geo-tagged against the country you are in. You can use a VPN to trick the website into thinking you are in your home country by allowing the software to create a virtual private network on their servers in the respective country or state.
By exploring the points above, it becomes clear how advantageous VPNs can be for business. But, what works for business can work for the private consumer too. In fact, VPNs play a big role in online gambling circles.
VPN Benefits for Gambling
Oftentimes, as a gambler, you may want to keep your gaming activities private in the public space. The best way to do this is by using a VPN to mask your activity.
Inadvertently, you are adding an extra layer of protection to safeguard any of your sensitive data transferred in the online space. By using the VPN, you are also less likely to receive unwanted spam and marketing from online casinos and sports betting sites.
Did you know? While the VPN provider works to hide your sensitive information from outside websites and individuals, it has full access to your browsing details. Be sure to use only well-reviewed, trustworthy VPN providers like Express VPN, Ghost VPN, and others.
Because of the various regulations around gambling in certain regions, gamblers can use VPNs to access restricted gambling sites and play games that would ordinarily not be available when accessed directly through the local internet service provider.
In most states in America, it is illegal to gamble at online casinos. A US resident could then install a VPN and activate a virtual network server in a European country, like Britain, and access a casino in the UK that would ordinarily block the user’s domestic IP address.
By using the VPN, the user tricks the casino into thinking that they are accessing the services on offer from within a legal and regulated country. However, this is illegal and we do not recommend that you use a VPN in this way.
You can, however, access a legal online casino in your own country through a VPN to safeguard your data. This way, you are not infringing on fraudulent access to illegal services.
The Legalities of VPN Usage
Laws on VPN usage vary from country to country. Regions like Russia, China, Oman, Belarus, and North Korea ban the use of such software altogether. Penalties for infringing these laws vary from fines to imprisonment.
Most other countries simply censor the usage of VPNs. Unless you are subscribing to terrorist activity, you should not encounter too much fallout from using VPNs. Certain nations, like the USA, allow legal use of VPN software but will penalise you by fine or arrest (depending on the severity of the crime) if you use the software for:
- Hacking or cyberstalking
- Illegal sale of protected or copywritten goods
- Gambling online when it is illegal to do so
It may be difficult for the government to connect you to the illicit use of the software on their own, but most VPN hosts are duty-bound to report illegal usage to the necessary authorities.
Fall-Out at Casino Level
While the risk of arrest or penalty is always possible when accessing sites illegally, the repercussions of being caught out are usually levelled by the casino site itself and not by the government.
The terms and conditions of some online casino or sportsbook sites warn against using VPNs to access their services. If illegal players are caught, they could stand to lose their bankroll and any winnings generated on their account, resulting in account suspension.
Quick Note: At GamblerPick, we do not condone the illegal use of VPNs but recognise the quality of the security they provide when used properly and within the laws of your country and the terms and conditions for the online gambling site you choose.
Be sure to always use VPNs legally at online casinos. This means that you use it purely as a security measure. Ensure that the VPN proxy is set up to work from the region you live in. This way, you can protect your privacy and avoid all other risks.
How to Use Your VPN
Once you have selected the VPN service provider you want to use, activating the software is a simple affair:
- Open the application.
- Select the region in which you would like to set up a virtual network.
- Press ‘’connect.’’
- Once you establish a connection, you can open your browser and surf the net freely.
Quick Tip: Pin your VPN application to your PC taskbar for easy access and monitoring at the ‘drop of a hat’.
Be sure to keep an eye on your connection status to make sure that there are no interruptions at any point, as this would disconnect your secure passage and leave you vulnerable. The better “paid” service providers usually offer flawless operations with very few issues.
Smart Ways to Stay Safe When Gambling Online
There are several ways that you can safeguard yourself when gambling online. Be sure to use the following points as a checklist to keep your connection as secure as possible when gaming on the web:
- Use a VPN.
- Only play at sites with SSL security certificates. Look out for the ‘HTTPS’ prefix at the start of the casino’s URL. The ‘S’ stands for ‘secure’.
- Enable 2-factor authentication when signing up or using services at an online site. This provides a dual layer of protection.
- Create profiles with a long secure password.
- Change your security credentials often on platforms to keep you safe.
- Use a good malware protection programme as a firewall against malicious content.
The top casinos listed on our site offer safe services to the public, backed by authentic licensing with first-class IT security software. Using a VPN is simply another great layer of privacy that we advise you use if optimum cybersecurity is a concern for you.
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