The issue of VPN usage at online casinos is interesting. Most sites don’t just discourage them, their terms and conditions clearly state they’re not allowed. Yet some operators – almost always crypto casinos – actively encourage VPNs.
I learned a horrible but valuable lesson on this subject almost ten years ago, which I’ll share later. But first, let’s make sure we all understand what I’m talking about.
What is a VPN?
Don’t worry, I won’t go into detail here – this is a blog about casinos, not nerdy techie stuff. But essentially, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) encrypts the connection between your device and the internet.
Why Use a VPN?
VPNs are often used legitimately, by security-conscious people, to mask their IP addresses. However, they’re equally handy for circumventing geoblocked websites.
If the casino you wish to play at doesn’t accept players from your region, well – it does now. Because you can pretend to be anywhere you like.
So You Can Use a VPN to Play Casino Games?
Sometimes. It depends. The question you need to ask is, why would you want to hide your identity to use an online casino?
Avoiding Geoblocks
If the casino blocks players in your country, they’re not doing it for fun – there’s a valid reason. This is usually a regulatory thing. It’s likely that letting you play would break the terms of its license, in which case it could be fined, or even closed down.
In that case, the geoblock is there to protect the casino. If you try to breach it with a VPN, you’re putting the operator at risk. They won’t allow such behaviour, so you should expect punishment.
Valid Reasons
Not all VPN usage is nefarious, though. Perhaps you’re from a conservative family where gambling is frowned upon. If you don’t want people to know you’ve been playing casino games, masking your IP address seems logical.
Other explanations include:
- Security when using a public network. Shared Wi-Fi connections are rarely safe or private – a VPN can help.
- Bypassing local network restrictions. Gambling may be legal, but perhaps you’re in a hotel, or somewhere else where access has been artificially limited.
- Other IP-related issues. If your current IP is associated with the negative behaviour of other people, you may find yourself blocked.
Some Casinos are Crypto-Friendly
These legitimate cases are why some casinos happily allow VPN usage. Betpanda, for example, doesn’t just market itself as VPN-friendly – an entire section of its website helpfully outlines your best strategy.
Vave is another casino that’s totally fine with VPN usage. They don’t encourage it in quite the same way as Betpanda, but it’s certainly not forbidden.
This is clearly stated section 6.3 of the terms and conditions, where it says “Using VPN is not restricted”.
Always Read the Terms
Before you turn that VPN on, make sure – and I mean absolutely, 100% sure – that you won’t be punished for it. The only way to do this is to read the terms and conditions carefully.
This is much easier than it’s ever been, thanks to AI. If it’s too daunting of a task, just copy and paste the terms into your chosen tool, then ask questions. If you have any doubt at all, speak to the casino’s customer service team. If they can’t or won’t answer, just find a different site.
Trust me, it’s not worth taking the risk. Why? Let me tell that story I promised earlier.
Denied a £30,000 Withdrawal
Early in 2016, I opened an account with 21bet.co.uk, a now defunct sportsbook and casino. I was living in my native UK at the time, and was betting mostly on horses, with some live dealer roulette thrown in.
In May that year, I accepted a job in the Philippines. Then, one night in January 2017, I fancied playing some roulette. I fired up my existing 21bet account, but was surprised to find that Evolution’s Immersive Roulette – always my game of choice – wasn’t working.
I quickly realised it was geoblocked, but I had a VPN, so I turned it on and got stuck in. In my urgency to play, I never really questioned why it might be blocked. Big mistake.
Midas Touch
That night, I ran like god. I’ve never had a session like it, before or since.
I may be misremembering, but I think I funded my account with £1,500 across three deposits. Although I initially suffered a few losing bets on the horses, everything I touched turned to gold when I hit the roulette tables.
One thing I definitely remember correctly is this – I ended the night requesting a £30,003 withdrawal.
That was a crazy amount of money for me – my annual salary at the time was £45,000. I felt physically sick from the adrenaline. I barely slept that night. I told the story to anyone who’d listen for the next 72 hours.
But as casinos are wont to do, 21bet quickly started making things difficult.
Payment Denied
First, they wanted copies of every card I’d ever deposited with, not only the one from that night.
No problem.
Then they demanded bank statements and utility bills bearing my UK address.
No problem.
In total, I sent a passport, driving license, bank statement, electricity bill, copies of several payment methods and just did everything requested of me. I even received an email confirmation saying I’d passed their KYC checks.
But they went strangely quiet for three days, so I knew something was off. Eventually, I received an extremely snotty and quite threatening email, gleefully explaining why they wouldn’t pay me.
“Prevention of Fraud”
I was frustrated by the accusation of fraud, as I wasn’t trying to conceal where I lived at all. As they pointed out in the email, this was all over the internet, on social media etc.
It was particularly galling to be told I hadn’t passed the KYC checks, when I’d actually received an earlier email saying that I had. I did, in fact, send the document they mentioned in the email.
Even more frustratingly, they changed their terms and conditions after this incident, to be more clear about their own rules. I sought legal action, but couldn’t find anyone willing to take the case.
It affected me very badly, sending me into a depression for a good six months. I’d mentally spent the money, only to have it snatched away for what I felt were cruel and spurious reasons.
Ultimately, they were right about their terms and conditions, which I’d failed to read correctly. But what if I’d lost £30,000? Does anyone really believe they’d have got in touch to offer a refund?
Lessons Learned
In those days, I genuinely didn’t know VPN usage was against the rules. Particularly as I’m from the UK, had originally created the account from my home country, and still had a legitimate UK address at the time.
But I certainly know now. In fact, I think about that incident often.
If I had my time again, I’d seek out a VPN-friendly casino, like Betpanda, Vave or Punkz. There are many others, too. But don’t ever do what I did. Make sure you triple-check the terms before joining.