As you probably already know, sports betting and gambling sites are blocked in many places around the world. So, if you live in a country where your favorite betting site is blocked or you’re traveling to a country that doesn’t allow sports betting websites and you wish to keep up with your bets, then you’ll need to get a VPN for sports betting.
You can use a VPN for all your online gambling activities. Basically, it’s a service that allows you to change your IP address, and effectively appear in a different location. Using a VPN to change your IP and spoof your location allows you to bypass any geographic restrictions. Simply put, if you use a VPN, you can unblock almost any gambling website or sports betting website from anywhere in the world.
Keep in mind that in some countries, gambling is entirely illegal and we don’t advise you to break the law. However, there are many countries where sports betting isn’t a crime yet some betting websites are blocked.
Quick Summary: Best VPN For Sports Betting
Here’s a quick rundown of the best VPNs for sports betting:
NordVPN: At number 1, NordVPN is an all around great VPN for sports betting. I was able to access any region-restricted betting website I tried without a hassle. Although all 4 VPNs on this list can be used for sports betting, NordVPN’s top-notch security features along with it’s competitive pricing and discounts makes it a winner.
Surfshark: My second best choice for sports betting, simply because it has less server locations than NordVPN. Other than that, the top 2 services are very similar, even in pricing.
CyberGhost: Not my most preferred VPN for sports betting yet it is still a viable option. In terms of performance, CyberGhost is very good. However, you might face some issues accessing a few sites. That said, their customer support team is very friendly and will help out right away.
ExpressVPN: It’s a high quality VPN service that you can definitely use for sports betting. It’s also a bit more expensive than the other 3 VPNs on this list. Basically, you can get the same quality of service from NordVPN or Surfshark for less money.
Why are some betting websites blocked?
Figuring out which betting website is blocked where can be quite confusing. That’s because every country has their own set of rules and regulations for online gambling and sports betting websites. In some areas of the world, you’ll find that any form of online gambling is strictly prohibited. Whereas in other places it’s considered completely fine. In some cases, online gambling isn’t illegal yet the betting websites are blocked anyway. You can find the full list of all blocked countries and those that allow online gambling here.
The way these blocks work is very simple. Once you visit a betting website, the website will check your IP address and correlate that IP to a physical location. Once they have your physical location, the website checks if online gambling is allowed in your region. If it is, you’re granted access, whereas if it isn’t, you get blocked.
It’s also important to note, some online gambling websites restrict their service to specific regions only.
How to unblock sports betting and gambling websites?
If you happen to live in a country where your betting website is blocked or you’re traveling to such a country, you’ll need to use a VPN to spoof your location to gamble online. In simple terms, a VPN allows you to change your IP address, effectively spoofing your location so that betting websites don’t block you.
For example, if you’re in China and you want to place some bets or play online poker, you’ll need the VPN to change your location to somewhere like the UK where betting websites are allowed. It may sound complicated, but it really easy a one-click process.
How to choose the best VPN to unblock betting websites
Deciding which VPN to get for your online gambling activities can be a hassle, there are hundreds of VPN providers and they all claim to be great. Which is why we’ve simplified the process for you, so you can sort through all the noise and make an informed decision.
When it comes to sports betting and gambling websites, we look at 6 main features in a VPN:
- Strong encryption: This is crucial for privacy and security while accessing online betting websites and using your payment information to deposit or withdraw money. Also, to keep your betting accounts secure.
- High Bandwidth speed: You need high bandwidth speeds to avoid slow and laggy websites. Sometimes you need to keep up with live scores while streaming multiple sports events. The point is, you can’t have a VPN that slows down your bandwidth speed. Which is why we constantly speed test VPNs before recommending them.
- Has a kill switch: A kill switch is an extremely important feature to have when gambling online. In case some issue occurs with your VPN or you get disconnected for any reason, a kill switch would cut off your internet connection to ensure that your actual IP address and personal information don’t leak, exposing your online activities to your ISP and anyone else watching.
- Zero logs policy: A zero-logs or no-logs policy ensures that your privacy is protected. The VPN company does not save any logs related to your online activities while using their product. We can’t stress it enough, this is an absolute must have feature for a good gambling VPN.
- Customer support: Even with the best products, sometimes you might face some issues or have certain questions regarding a service. Which is why we consider customer support an important ranking factor for VPNs.
Best VPN for sports betting
We’ve tested many sports betting websites with several of the most popular VPNs on the market. According to the criteria mentioned earlier, we then ranked these VPNs in a top 4. Our objective here is to help you sort through all the information and make a smart decision, possibly even save some money while you’re at it.
Check out our list below for the best online gambling VPNs.
NordVPN
NordVPN is based in Panama, which is a huge plus if you’re looking for guaranteed privacy. The company doesn’t keep any logs and since it’s in Panama, it’s not obligated to share any personal user info with the authorities. With all the security features offered by NordVPN, tying online gambling activities to a user becomes near impossible.
A particularly useful feature is the kill switch, it cuts off your internet connection in case an unexpected error occurred with the VPN. That’s helpful because it minimizes the risk of accidentally leaking your identity or online activities.
- 5,000+ servers everywhere so that you can use this VPN for online sports betting in any region.
- Optimized servers that unblock geo-restrictions no matter where you are.
- NordLynx protocol that speeds up your connection because it uses less coding.
- 256-bit AES encryption that encrypts and secures your traffic.
- Anti-malware feature, Cybersec, that blocks malware and ads.
- Unblocks streaming services like HBO Max, Peacock TV, and many more.
- Double VPN feature that reroutes your data through two VPN tunnels.
- 24/7 customer support and a 30-day money back guarantee.
SurfsharkVPN
Surfshark is very heavy on security features including AES-256 encryption, a kill switch, an ad-blocker and leak protection for DNS, IP, and WebRTC leaks. In fact, Surfshark is one of the most versatile VPNs out there. It’s good for streaming, gaming, torrenting, and privacy. Also, it’s quite the bargain considering the high quality of service and customer support they provide.
- Military-grade encryption that secures your traffic.
- Unlimited bandwidth so that you can use sports betting websites as much as you want.
- Zero-logs policy.
- CleanWeb feature against ads and malware.
- Camouflage feature that hides your activity from literally everyone.
- Accessibility on all devices, and you can also download their app anywhere.
- Unlimited simultaneous devices, so that you can use it on as much devices as you want. You can even share your account with family members.
- Unblocks all the geo-restricted content you might face.
CyberGhostVPN
CyberGhost is another excellent VPN for sports betting websites. it offers top-notch security features and the latest VPN protocols including WireGuard. Additionally, CyberGhost also offers leak protection and testing tools for DNS, IP, and WebRTC leaks.
Also noteworthy, is CyberGhost’s kill switch feature. Turn this feature on and it will ensure that your online gambling activities are never exposed to your ISP, the government, or any third party.
- Military grade 256-bit encryption for your utmost protection.
- Multi-hop connection that passes your data through two VPN tunnels.
- 5,700 servers in 89 countries, giving you endless options for servers.
- Anti-malware feature to block malware and ads.
- An automatic kill switch and DNS leak protection.
- A strict zero-logs policy so that no one can see or check on your activity.
- Accessible and easy-to-use website and interface.
- Availability on Windows, MacOS, and Android.
- 45-day money back guarantee.
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands. Much like NordVPN in Panama, it’s far away from any legal requirements regarding user info. You can rest assured with ExpressVPN your online betting activities and everything else you do online, is completely hidden and anonymous. You can even use cryptocurrencies to pay for your ExpressVPN subscription which grants even more anonymity.
The ExpressVPN app is available on all major platforms, it’s very easy to install and use.
- 3500+ servers all around the globe.
- Zero-logs policy.
- Optimized servers that provide speed for online surfing and yes, sports betting!
- Optimized servers that unblock any geo-restricted sports betting websites.
- A kill switch that cuts off your connection instantly in case of a sudden connection issue.
- Extensions for Google Chrome and Firefox, so you can use them while sports betting online.
- DNS protection and zero IP leaks.
- Availability on most devices including Android, Windows, MacOS, Linux and Wi-fi routers.
- Unlimited bandwidth and an anti-malware feature against malware and ads.
- 30-day money back guarantee, and you can contact their customer support at any time.
VPN for sports betting FAQs
Yes, in fact you should use a VPN for online gambling and sports betting websites. Aside from allowing you to access the betting sites, a VPN also provides an additional layer of security and anonymity.
Your internet service provider won’t be able to figure out which user is accessing gambling websites. So you’re fully anonymous while betting, playing online poker, or any other form of online gambling entertainment.
It depends on where you live. Some countries have completely banned online gambling and even made it illegal. Which means, with a VPN or without one, it’s illegal to gamble online. That said, in most countries it’s perfectly legal to access gambling websites and bet as you wish.
Here are some countries that ban any online gambling: Brunei, Cambodia, Cuba, Cyprus, Lebanon, North Korea, Poland, Qatar, Singapore, UAE.
Well… no. Free VPNs offer one good thing: they’re free. But, there are many disadvantages that come hand in hand with using a free VPN. Free VPNs don’t offer full privacy, strong encryption, high speed, a kill switch or even a variety of server locations.
Additionally, they sell your browsing data to third party companies, that’s why it’s a free VPN.
Yes, surely you can. There are no restrictions on depositing or withdrawing your money while using a VPN to unblock betting websites.
VPN for sports betting – Conclusion
VPNs for sports betting are not only important, but essential for your safety. There are many legal issues connected to online sports betting, and a VPN helps shield you from the dire consequences. Also, many sports betting websites limit their users to one specific region. So, if you are abroad, you cannot bet on several betting websites. A VPN can bypass that by changing your IP address into the required region or country.
A VPN also provides several security features like protection against malware and hackers. A sports betting VPN protects you from threats while also unblocking gambling websites around the world.
