Online casinos and sports betting sites are often restricted by gambling license rules and regional laws. So if you find yourself abroad, you may not be able to visit your usual casino sites. The solution? Use a VPN to unblock your favorite online betting sites.
After testing dozens of VPNs in the market, we’ve found NordVPN to be the best gambling VPN overall. It has a wide global server network and solid security features that will ensure you can access online casinos from anywhere without being detected by authorities.
Here’s how to safely unblock gambling sites:
- Sign up for a VPN account. We recommend NordVPN.
- Download and install the VPN app.
- Sign in using your NordVPN account.
- Connect to a VPN server in the same country where your favorite online casino is available.
- That’s it! You can now visit your favorite online casino.
It’s simple to use a VPN to unblock gambling sites, but there are several things to keep in mind, such as local laws and regulations. Moreover, some gambling websites may terminate your account if they detect VPN usage.
To avoid such consequences, read our full article below to learn how to safely access online casinos without getting detected.
Many online casinos can’t be accessed outside of certain regions due to licensing issues or geo-blocks. Thankfully, it’s possible to access online sports betting and gambling sites using a VPN.
This article will explain how to avoid online gambling restrictions using a VPN. Keep in mind that not all VPNs will work for this; you need a premium VPN that can escape the detection of gambling sites.
Our top recommendation for a gambling VPN is NordVPN. It’s fast, secure, and proven to unblock online casinos such as DraftKings and Stake Casino without any trouble.
However, there are several important things you should keep in mind before using a VPN for online gambling. Keep reading the article below for all the details.
Disclaimer:
Gambling can be addictive and is prohibited for people under 18. It’s also illegal in some countries. Unblocking gambling websites with a VPN may go against the terms of service of popular gambling sites. VPNOverview doesn’t condone illegal practices and only aims to provide information about VPNs and online safety.
How to Gamble Online with a VPN: Step-by-Step Guide
A virtual private network (VPN) can route your internet connection through a server in a country with more permissive gambling laws, such as the UK or the US. This means you no longer have to worry about being blocked because of your location.
VPNs have the added benefit of obscuring your actual location and encrypting your internet connection, making it very difficult for your activities to be tracked or monitored by others. Hence, you can access DraftKings and other online gambling sites anonymously.
Here’s how to use a VPN to access online casinos:
Important:
Make sure you use a VPN before your first visit to your gambling site of choice. If you visit the site without a VPN, it may record your IP address and location. When you next visit the site with a VPN, it will recognize that you have a different IP address and may then block you from using the site further.
- Subscribe to a trustworthy VPN. In our experience, NordVPN is a good VPN for gambling because it is fast and secure, with a wide server network that makes it easy to access casinos in different countries.
- Download and install the VPN, then sign into your account on the app.
- Enable the kill switch. You can find this option under “Preferences.”
- Connect to a server in a country that hosts the online gambling site you want to unblock. For instance, to access Draft Kings, we connected to a NordVPN server in New York, where Draft Kings is legal and available.
- Open a new internet browser session and go to the online gambling or sports betting site of your choice. It’s important to open a new window because if you just open a new tab in a browser you already had open, the website may still pick up your true location based on cookies or other signed-in services.
- That’s it! You can now access your favorite online gambling sites.
The Best VPNs for Online Gambling
In our experience, NordVPN is the best VPN for gambling. You can use it to access Stake Casino and other online casinos in almost every country where the website is available. It’s also the best VPN for cryptocurrency, making it perfect for anonymous crypto gambling.
Of course, there are also other gambling VPNs that you can try. Before delving into each one, let’s take a quick glance at the key features of each in the table below.
| Feature | NordVPN | Surfshark VPN | ExpressVPN | CyberGhost | Private Internet Access (PIA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of servers | 5,600+ | 3,200+ | 3,000+ | 9,400+ | 30,000+ |
| Number of countries | 59+ | 100+ | 94 | 91+ | 84 |
| Dedicated IP | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Kill switch | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Accepts crypto | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Protocols | IKEv2/IPsec, OpenVPN, NordLynx (WireGuard) | OpenVPN, IKEv2 and WireGuard | Lightway, OpenVPN, SSTP, L2TP/IPSec, and PPTP | OpenVPN, IKEv2 and WireGuard | OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IPSec (iOS only) |
| Price | From $3.49 per month | From $2.30 per month | From $6.67 per month | From $2.19 per month | From $2.19 per month |
| Purchase | Get NordVPN | Get Surfshark VPN | Get ExpressVPN | Get CyberGhost | Get PIA |
Need more details before making a choice? Below, we’ve detailed some of the critical characteristics of the best gambling VPNs.
1. NordVPN: The best VPN for online gambling
Features:
- 5,000+ servers in 60 countries internationally
- 256-bit encryption and fast, secure VPN protocols
- Location cloaking with a kill switch, double VPN, and dedicated IPs
- Zero-logs for foolproof privacy
- 30-day money-back guarantee
NordVPN is our favorite VPN for accessing online casinos because it’s fast, secure, and reliable for unblocking restricted sites. You can connect to any of its 5,000+ servers in 60 countries worldwide. While conducting NordVPN speed tests, these servers gave us fast and steady connection speeds. This will help you access online casinos with no interruptions.
The VPN provider also offers some of the strongest premium VPN security features, like 256-bit encryption, a no-logging policy, and an automatic kill switch that will prevent your IP from leaking and revealing your true location.
NordVPN accepts many different kinds of crypto, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), Dogecoin (DOGE), and more.
You can try this gambling VPN for free thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee. Test NordVPN’s premium features and stay anonymous while you access online casinos or sports betting websites. You can also read our full NordVPN review to find out more about this VPN.
2. Surfshark: Affordable gambling VPN for unlimited devices
Features:
- 3,200+ servers in 100 countries make bypassing any geo-blocks easy
- Unlimited simultaneous connections so you can use the VPN on all your devices
- Zero data logging and 256-bit encryption that keeps your personal data private
- One of the most affordable VPNs
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Surfshark is another one of our favorite VPNs for online casinos. The extensive server network in 100 countries enables you to unblock your favorite gambling and sports betting sites from anywhere in the world.
We consistently experience great speeds with Surfshark and trust its security features, which include the best VPN protocols, an automatic kill switch, and 256-bit encryption. These features ensure that any personal or payment information you give when registering with online casinos or betting sites will be kept hidden from third parties.
Our favorite feature? You can use Surfshark on an unlimited number of devices. This means you can also use the VPN on your phone (for mobile gambling) and any of the compatible devices (Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, Android TV, and more).
The best part is that you get all these benefits at an extremely low price of just a couple of dollars per month when you opt for a long-term subscription. You can also try it risk-free thanks to the 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bear in mind that if you want to pay with crypto, Surfshark supports CoinGate and CoinPayments. Read more in our full Surfshark review.
3. ExpressVPN: A gambling VPN with servers in every unblocked location
Features:
- 3,000+ servers across 94 countries
- Strict no-logs policy
- Built-in kill switch for added location privacy
- Allows you to subscribe and pay with crypto
ExpressVPN is one of the priciest premium VPNs around, but it’s worth the cost if you’re looking for a rapid and reliable gambling VPN.
We’ve always been happy with this provider’s no-logs policy, speedy, stable servers, reliable AES-256 encryption, and overall data privacy track record. You can rest assured that your real location won’t be detected by online casinos when you’re using ExpressVPN.
For complete anonymity, you can also pay for ExpressVPN with crypto, including Bitcoin. And don’t be deterred by the slightly higher price — you can try ExpressVPN free for 30 days.
Find out more about ExpressVPN in our detailed ExpressVPN review.
4. CyberGhost: Cheap VPN for online gambling
Features:
- Built-in kill switch
- 9,400+ servers in 91+ countries
- Ability to unblock live streams
- Zero data logging and military-grade data encryption
- Low-cost subscriptions with a 45-day money-back guarantee
CyberGhost is another great provider on our list of the best VPNs for gambling. It covers a vast number of locations across the world, and we experienced fast and stable connections every time we tried it. You’ll have no trouble accessing secure servers and unblocking the online casinos of your choice.
At the same time, you can rest assured that your data is secure thanks to top-notch encryption, an automatic kill switch, and a transparent no-logs policy. As part of its commitment to your anonymity, CyberGhost accepts the following crypto: Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), Dogecoin (DOGE), USD Coin (USDC), and more.
With CyberGhost, you also get one of the longest money-back guarantees, so you can try one of the VPN’s affordable plans for free for 45 days.
Our full review of CyberGhost covers this provider’s features and connection speeds in much more detail!
5. Private Internet Access: The best VPN for sports betting
Features:
- 30,000+ VPN servers, with locations in every state across the U.S.
- Strict no logs policy and secure, encrypted data
- Ability to unblock free sports streams with ease to track your online stakes’ success
- A kill switch helps keep your IP hidden
Private Internet Access (PIA) offers a massive server network of 30,000+ VPN servers. It stands out as it has server locations in every single U.S. state. That means there won’t be a single U.S. gambling site you can’t unblock.
Of course, it works like a charm to access sports betting sites and online casinos too, so you can place your bets from wherever you are. You can buy a PIA subscription using crypto, as PIA supports the BitPay payment gateway.
We’ve verified that PIA also meets the essential security criteria like a no-logs policy, a kill switch, and secure encryption. Although the provider hasn’t undergone a security audit yet like the other VPNs on this list, it has a proven track record of not storing user data.
Read more about PIA’s capabilities and performance in our detailed Private Internet Access VPN review.
How to Choose a VPN for Online Gambling
When choosing the best VPN for online gambling or sports betting, it’s important to think about the features a VPN offers. That’s why we carefully review each provider for the task at hand. Here are the criteria we considered and that you should look into when choosing a VPN service for gambling:
- Server locations: This is perhaps the most important aspect of a good VPN for gambling. After all, it has to unblock the sites you want to access, which means it needs to have servers in varied locations across the world.
- Speed: Whether you’re playing slots or betting on your favorite sports team, you need to have a good connection speed to not miss a moment. We’ve individually tested each of our selected VPNs to ensure that they offer snappy speeds so that you can enjoy your time online without any glitches.
- Security & privacy: When you’re gambling online, especially with crypto, security is key. Therefore, we’ve picked VPNs that offer airtight security features, including a kill switch, zero data logging, and strong encryption.
- Customer support: There’s no telling when technical problems might crop up. So, a VPN needs to have responsive customer support to sort out any issues you might face. All our recommended VPNs come with stellar customer support that’s easy to reach and prompt to respond.
While all of the gambling VPNs we’ve outlined above meet these criteria, NordVPN is our top choice because it has some of the best unblocking and security capabilities to keep you safe from detection.
Can I Use a Free VPN to Access Gambling Sites Abroad?
If you’re tight on funds, you might be tempted to use a free VPN to access online gambling sites. While it’s possible to do so, we strongly advise against it for these reasons:
- Most free VPNs don’t offer complete anonymity. Many free VPNs keep logs of your IP address and activities, which can be traced back to you. Some free VPN providers even sell user data to third parties.
- Casino sites can detect your VPN use. Many gambling sites prohibit the use of a VPN and will disrupt your gambling experience if they detect a VPN. Free VPNs don’t have features that combat VPN detection.
- You’ll have to deal with speed and data limits. To curb expenses, free VPN providers limit either the amount of data you can use or the speed at which you can browse the internet. Some even limit both.
We recommend opting for an affordable premium VPN like NordVPN. NordVPN offers a wide selection of fast, secure servers that can help you browse and bet without being detected. Plus, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee included, so you can easily get your money back if you decide it’s not for you.
Popular Gambling Sites and Their Stance on VPN Use
Note:
Most gambling sites requires a valid ID for a the country where the service is accessible. This makes it impossible to sign up as a non-resident. VPNs can’t be used to bypass this requirement.
We’ve looked at a handful of the top betting and gambling sites to see what their stance is on users running a VPN connection. We discovered that the web’s most popular gambling platforms don’t allow VPN usage, which could result in the consequences mentioned above.
1. Bovada
Bovada’s terms of service clearly state that they reserve the right to immediately terminate or deny a player access to their account when that player shows fraudulent activity. The paragraph also specifically includes the use of VPNs and proxy servers.
Bovada states that if they “determine that a player has engaged in fraudulent, unlawful, dishonest or improper activity (including, without limitation, the usage of a VPN, proxy or similar service that masks or manipulates the identification of your real location, or by otherwise providing false or misleading information, or by making bets, wagers or poker play through a third party or on behalf of a third party) we reserve the right to immediately terminate or deny a player access to their Account.“
2. Stake Casino
With the rise of cryptocurrency and its popularity, new business models have appeared in the online gambling world. One such business is Stake Bitcoin casino, which lets you play using funds tied to cryptocurrency. This platform is used by some top streamers, but their stance on VPN usage is negative.
Specifically, their terms and conditions section states that if “you attempt to conceal Your location, including but not limited to, through the use of a Proxy server,” you could forfeit winnings and have your account suspended or terminated. So, think twice before you use a VPN with Stake Casino.
3. BetOnline
BetOnline has VPNs mentioned specifically under their “Tools not related to Poker” section, which states: “The use of Virtual Machines and/or any software that specializes in screen-sharing and remote-access is prohibited. The use of a VPN is considered in all game play reviews and if it’s deemed to be used to circumvent our policies, appropriate action as listed in the Fair Play Policy will be taken.“
4. PokerStars
PokerStars states that VPN usage is directly against the terms of use of the platform. When you sign up, you’re asked to agree that you are not prohibited from receiving funds based on your location.
In other words, you can’t use a VPN for PokerStars to change your IP address and get around geographic restrictions. If you do, they could terminate your account and access to the service.
In fact, one high-profile case involved a US resident who had winnings of $692,000 withheld after PokerStars discovered that he had supposedly been using a VPN. So, be wary that winnings can be confiscated without notice if you gamble online with a VPN. Finally, it’s worth noting that PokerStars is using GeoComply, which could stop you from accessing the website with a VPN altogether.
5. Red Dog Casino
According to Red Dog Casino’s terms of service, players may not use any software that helps them bypass restrictions: “Please note that any activities performed from the restricted countries are also forbidden for players, who use VPN connections and other malware.” They even refer to VPNs as malware, which is completely untrue! The best VPNs actually help protect you against malware (malicious software).
6. DraftKings
DraftKings is the leading online sportsbook and Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) platform in the US. It is unavailable in many countries due to licensing restrictions and gambling regulations. In fact, it is also blocked in select US states, such as Alabama, Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, and more.
Fortunately, it’s easy to access DraftKings with a VPN in regions where it’s blocked. We could not find any specific terms that advise against the use of a VPN on the Draft Kings website. We could access it in a jiffy from India and other countries where it’s blocked using NordVPN.
7. Bitstarz
Bitstarz is a crypto casino that doesn’t specifically have anything against VPNs in its policies. However, their customer support said that they can’t guarantee that players would get the same experience using a VPN as playing without one. So, it’s up to you whether you want to try that or not.
8. 888Casino
888Casino monitors the software running on your device, which could give the game away. According to their terms, “we may gather information with regard to other software which is running simultaneously with the Software for detecting if you are using software which is associated with fraudulent activity (e.g. robots, malware, etc.) or checking if the connection you are using is via a VPN or proxy.“
The consensus from online users is that this website is particularly good at spotting VPN use, so continue at your own risk.
9. William Hill
William Hill is a longstanding online bookmaker that operates not only in the UK but also in Jersey and Gibraltar. However, if you fall outside of these locations, your only way of accessing the website would be through a VPN.
Unfortunately, their terms directly prohibit the use of a VPN for gambling on their website. According to William Hill, you’re not allowed to “use a VPN or proxy to hide or alter the location or the identity of the device used to access the Website.” Doing so is considered improper use of your account and could result in loss of funds and suspension.
10. Parimatch
Parimatch is an international sports betting company based in Europe that’s only available in selected countries worldwide. However, no matter where you are, you can use a VPN to access Parimatch without any problems.
We did not find any specific terms on the Parmatch website that prohibit the use of a VPN to access it. Moreover, we were able to use NordVPN to unblock Parimatch without any issues.
Why is Online Gambling Restricted?
Of the 195 recognized countries in the world today, 56 have significant legal regulations in place to restrict gambling. What’s more, ten of them have banned online gambling altogether.
To comply with international law, most gambling websites use geo-blocking, which blocks access to users from countries where online gambling is illegal.
The motivations for making online gambling illegal differ from country to country, with social, political, and religious factors all playing a part. Traditional offline gambling is illegal in nearly all countries where Islam is the majority religion.
However, many countries have not gotten around to legislating against online gambling or do not have the infrastructure to prevent their citizens from accessing online casinos.
Other countries, such as China and North Korea, have banned their own citizens from gambling, while it is legal for foreign tourists to gamble when visiting. Despite these differences, the methods used to block gambling from abroad are largely the same, as we’ll explain below.
How are online gambling restrictions enforced?
Many of the countries that prohibit online gambling rely on gambling websites and casinos to filter visitors based on their IP addresses and prevent them from playing. This is why using a VPN for online gambling is common: a VPN changes your IP address, so you can spoof your location.
Some websites employ stricter methods. In some countries, such as the United Kingdom, the best betting sites use KYC (Know Your Customer) identity checks to verify your signup information. So, if you don’t have a digital footprint in the country of the IP address you’re spoofing, you might not even be able to create an account.
What’s more, even if you manage to create an account on a website that has banned your country’s IP addresses, you could face another obstacle when it comes to withdrawing money. Many websites will request proof of identity and address before paying out a large win.
Countries where online gambling is illegal
There are only a few places in the world where online gambling is completely legal. These include Canada, the United Kingdom, most countries in the European Union, some countries in the Caribbean, and some states in the USA.
In most other countries, online gambling is banned or at least heavily restricted. However, many of these countries don’t enforce this ban as strictly as they could. In the table below, you’ll find an overview of some countries where online gambling is illegal or regulated and what punishments are used for online gambling.
| Country | Laws, rules, and regulations |
|---|---|
| United Arab Emirates | In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), all forms of gambling are illegal. The state-controlled Telecommunications Regulatory Authority also holds a monopoly over the provision of internet access. This allows them to filter the content that their citizens have access to and prevent them from accessing online gambling websites. Anyone caught gambling can face a prison sentence of up to two years. |
| Nation of Brunei | In Brunei, online gambling was made illegal under the Common Gaming House Act. Any form of gambling is illegal and punishable by up to four years in prison. |
| Cambodia | In the face of widespread gambling addiction issues, Cambodia banned all forms of gambling under its 1996 Suppression of Gambling Act. This ban is for Cambodian citizens only, with tourists being encouraged to gamble at several specially constructed casinos. |
| North Korea | North Koreans are prohibited from taking part in gambling of any kind, including online gambling. Much of the country does not have access to the internet, and those parts that do are mostly restricted to the free, domestic-only network known as the “Kwangmyong.” Tourists are allowed to gamble, but only at one casino located in Pyongyang and only in the presence of a state-sponsored guide. |
| Japan | Until recently, all forms of gambling were illegal in Japan. Since 2016, certain types of sports betting and a few casinos have been legalized under the Integrated Resort Programme Law. However, online gambling remains strictly prohibited. |
| Singapore | Under Singapore’s Remote Gambling Act, all forms of online gambling are illegal unless an exemption is granted by the government. In 2016, the Singapore Turf Club and Singapore Pools were given such an exception, meaning online sports betting can be conducted through them. |
| Cyprus | The Government of Cyprus permits sports betting online, but all other forms of online gambling are illegal. |
| Qatar | In Qatar, all forms of gambling activities are considered illegal, and even online sports betting is not permitted. The government also restricts what content can be accessed by its citizens. Those caught attempting to access online gambling websites face jail time if convicted. |
| Lebanon | In Lebanon, gambling of any kind that hasn’t been authorized by the government is illegal, and the government has the power to block access to online gambling websites. |
| Iran | Iran exercises strict control over what its citizens can access through the internet, using sophisticated methods such as Deep Packet Inspection to censor content and prevent access to over 100,000 websites. This includes online gambling. As an Islamic republic, Iran has made all forms of gambling illegal. |
Final Thoughts: Stay Safe When Gambling Online With a VPN
There’s no denying that online gambling has its risks, especially in countries where gambling websites are blocked or illegal. However, if you follow the steps outlined in this guide and keep some basic security factors in mind, there’s no need to worry.
You can easily use a VPN to access online casinos and sports betting sites when you’re temporarily traveling abroad. We recommend using NordVPN because it has a wide range of servers across the world, all of which have great unblocking capabilities. It also keeps you secure and hidden from detection, which is vital when accessing gambling sites from abroad.
Take advantage of the 30-day money-back guarantee and try NordVPN today!
Have questions about avoiding gambling site restrictions? Click one of the FAQs below for an answer. If your question isn’t there, just leave yours in the comments, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
It is very common for online casinos to track a player’s IP address, as this is the main method gambling sites use to filter out users. This means that if you try to access your normal online gambling account when traveling abroad, you will most likely be blocked due to geo-restrictions. Using a VPN, especially one with a dedicated IP address, can help you access your account regardless of where you are.
If you find yourself blocked from your favorite gambling site when traveling, you can use a VPN to unblock the online casino or sports betting site. For example, you can use the best DraftKings VPN to access your account when outside of the USA.
NordVPN is the best VPN to access online casinos because it’s highly secure, fast, and has a wide server network. We used it to get full access to Draft Kings, Stake, and many more gambling and sports betting sites.
I absolutely agree with the author – you only need to play in an online casino that has a license. But also responsibly.