It doesn’t matter if you’re a serious online gambler or someone who just likes a dabble now and again, a VPN is becoming an essential tool for online gambling.

However, not all VPN services are suitable for online gambling and selecting the right one can make the difference between an interruption-free gambling experience and one plagued with issues.

We’ve been testing a range of VPN providers on some of the most popular gambling sites to see which are the best and have rounded up our top seven choices below.

All below are suitable for online gambling and accessing an online casino, all you need to do is select one and sign up, you really can’t go wrong.

Top 7 VPN services for gambling

1. ExpressVPN

The top pick for online gambling and sports betting is without question, ExpressVPN.

There are more than 94 countries covered by VPN servers and Virtual Locations that will allow you to appear in those regions.

We really like the larger server selection which beats most other providers. However, the monthly package is a little on the expensive side, so it’s worth considering their 12-month package which works out a lot cheaper.

One of the best features of the service is the massive 30-day money-back guarantee they offer. This gives you bags of time to try it with your favourite betting website to see it in action.

Apps are available for Android and iOS mobile devices and computers running Windows or macOS. There are even VPN apps for Ubuntu Linux devices so no matter what device you like to gamble online with, ExpressVPN have you covered.

ExpressVPN have excellent security features such as a kill switch, DNS leak protection, a strict no-logs policy and more, which will help keep your internet connection secure in countries with strict online censorship laws.

Out of all the best VPNs for gambling, ExpressVPN is the best VPN around.

• Read our latest ExpressVPN Review

Our #1 Choice for Online Gambling

30-day money back guarantee

2. IPVanish

When you’re online gambling, it’s essential that the VPN provider you use offers a VPN server in the country of the online gambling site you want to access. For example, if you’re going to use SkyBet in the UK, then the VPN service will need a UK VPN Server.

IPVanish has servers in more than 75 locations across the world which covers the UK and most other major online gambling locations. This will allow you to connect to a local server and play using local sites for that country.

We especially liked the ease of use of IPVanish.

Their apps for Android and iOS tablets and phones and software for Windows and Mac is some of the easiest we’ve used which lets you connect quickly so you can forget about it and get on with the more important task of placing bets or playing games.

There’s also a 30-day money back guarantee, so it’s risk free to test the service.

If for some reason you can’t get it to work or it doesn’t work with your favourite online gambling website, then you can simply get a full refund. Unlike some unscrupulous providers, they actually honour the refund policy.

IPVanish is one of the best VPNs for gambling online.

• Read our most recent IPVanish review

3. NordVPN

NordVPN have become one of the most popular VPN providers in recent years and not without good reason. Apart from offering some excellent prices, they also provide a reliable and robust service too.

Their standout selling point is the selection of advanced features available. Extra server options such as double-hop servers that pass your data through two locations and dedicated servers against DDOS attacks and for P2P use certainly enhance the service.

We especially liked the fact you can connect on up to 6 devices concurrently, which means not only can you use the service for your online gambling needs but you can protect everyone in your household.

It also allows you to use the VPN service for online gambling on your entire range of mobile devices and more traditional computers.

If you want one of the best VPN providers that can unblock gambling sites and access online casinos, then NordVPN has your back.

• Read our most recent NordVPN Review

4. Cyberghost VPN

CyberGhost VPN has expanded massively in the past year and almost doubled their service offering. For online gambling this is great news because all major gambling countries are now covered.

If you’ve never used a VPN for betting online before then they make a great option because their apps and software are some of the easiest we’ve used. A connection was simple and the ease of use was their standout feature for us.

Prices are competitive on the service and they offer roughly the same level of service as the other providers already listed here.

If you’re also concerned about your online privacy, then the fact the company is registered in Romania should put your mind at rest because they have no data retention requirements and they’re also known for upholding privacy laws.

Like the other VPNs, they have a built-in kill switch and other security features that will protect you and online gamblers while using online gambling sites.

There is also a massive 45-day money-back guarantee available on the service so if you want peace of mind then knowing you have a full month to test the service is an obvious benefit.

If you want private internet access, then CyberGhost VPN is one of the best VPN companies around. They’ll secure your internet traffic, and give you access to geo-restricted gambling sites.

• Read our latest CyberGhost VPN Review

5. VyprVPN

If you’re still unsure if you need a VPN for your online gambling needs, then VyprVPN is worth checking out.

They did previously offer a 3-day trial which was super-handy but this has now been replaced by the standard 30-day money-back guarantee. Still, it is loads of time to test them with your favourite gambling site.

One of the best features of VyprVPN is the fact they have more than 200,000 IP Addresses available on the service.

When using a VPN for online gambling, it’s best if hundreds of other users aren’t using the same VPN to access the same gambling site.

With such a large selection of IP Addresses available, it means you’re highly unlikely to be using the same IP Address on any gambling site at the same time as other users.

VyprVPN is one of the best VPN services for accessing betting websites and allows you to place bets while overseas.

• Read our latest VyprVPN Review

6. Surfshark

Surfshark is a VPN located in the British Virgin Islands. It is located outside of the jurisdiction of any intrusive government, so it can afford to keep no user logs.

This is excellent if you value your privacy.

The service offers top-notch security features, including OpenVPN protocol, 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch, ad-blocker, Whitelister, MultiHop, and more.

Surfshark also have a camouflage mode that masks the fact that you’re using a VPN service. Not even your Internet Service Provider will know what you’re doing. This is extremely useful if you’re trying to gain access to online gambling websites while remaining anonymous.

It also has a significant network of servers, this includes 1,700 servers in 63 countries.

As such, it is great for unblocking gambling sites and allowing you to keep their privacy while gaming online.

Surfshark VPN is a great service for securing your internet traffic, bypassing internet censorship, and accessing online gambling websites.

7. VPN.ac

Lastly, we have VPN.ac, which is a service with a somewhat small server network, at least when compared to the others on this list.

It offers servers in around 20 different countries, but they are strategically set to unblock some of the most popular locations. This also happens to be countries where most of the biggest gambling websites are located.

This service also doesn’t keep logs, it supports some of the most popular devices and systems, and it offers multiple protocols and encryption types.

It is also backed by a skilled team that can help you out if you ever run into any trouble.

Not to mention that it is very affordable. It even has a 1-week trial that you can pick up for only $2, which gives you enough time to try it with your favourite sites.

Want to access betting websites abroad? Then VPN.ac is one of the best VPNs for the job, you’ll gain access to popular betting sites with no effort at all.

How to use a VPN for online betting

Before I show you how to set up your VPN for accessing gambling sites or online casinos, be sure to check that you’re not violating any local laws or restrictions on gambling.

The last thing you want is to get yourself in trouble with the law.

We don’t condone illegal online gambling, so before you gamble online, make sure it’s legal.

For this step by step, I’ll be using our recommended service, ExpressVPN for demonstration purposes. However, the set-up process will be similar for all 7 VPNs in this article.

1. Head over to the ExpressVPN website and sign up for one of their VPN packages.
2. From either your device’s app store or the ExpressVPN website, download the ExpressVPN app and log in using your email address and password.
3. Make a connection to a VPN server. Click ‘Select Location’ and choose one of the server locations such as the UK, US, or any other country you’re looking to access. Then click the Connect button.
4. Once your VPN connection has been established, head to any gambling websites you wish to access and log into your gambling or betting account.
5. Enjoy accessing international gambling sites using your VPN app, maybe visit an online casino and have a game of online poker.

Benefits of using a VPN for Online Gambling

There are multiple benefits of using a VPN for online gambling and below we’ve listed the top three.

1. Access your online gambling account abroad

If you travel outside of your home country and you attempt to log in to your online gambling or online casino account, then the chances are you’ll either be blocked or you’ll be pushed to the local version of the website which isn’t compatible with your login details.

A VPN allows you to mask your online location so you can access your home account and log in like normal no matter where you are in the world.

1. Protect your online privacy

It’s possible for many online companies to track what you do online and online gambling or online casino sites are no exception.

A VPN allows you to protect your online privacy making it more difficult to link your online activity to yourself.

3. Protect your security

When you use public Wi-Fi networks, your online security and privacy are at risk. When dealing with financial transactions such as online gambling you want to protect your online security as much as possible.

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) allows you to encrypt what you’re doing making it unreadable to anyone else on the same network as yourself.

Most reputable gambling services will already use encryption, but it pays to add extra security on your end.

All you need to do now is select one of the seven VPN providers above and sign-up. It only takes a few minutes and you can be connected to the VPN and access online gambling sites abroad in no time.

Can I use a VPN for Online sports betting?

Fortunately, Yes.

VPNs provide you with the ability to unblock virtually anything, as long as their IP address is not blocked. So, if your country blocked some online gambling or online sports betting site, you can easily unblock it with a VPN.

You are not limited to any single type of gambling/betting, and you can use online casinos, place bets, and more.

It also works well if you wish to access overseas casinos that might not be available in your country by default.

Is online gambling or sports betting illegal using a VPN?

Thankfully, No, it is not.

Since the use of VPNs is not illegal anywhere, except maybe China or Russia, and sports betting or online gambling is not prohibited in most parts, so using the two together is not illegal either.

However, make sure to check out if your country has specific laws about online gambling or betting first before you use this method.

While many places do not have a problem with gambling via the internet, there are some that do.

One example is Australia, whose Federal Government made online casinos illegal 20 years ago, in 2000. Some other examples where online gambling may be unlawful include Cambodia, the UAE, Singapore, Qatar, and Lebanon.

Will a VPN ‘unlock’ gambling in restricted jurisdictions?

The first thing to note is that you won’t make online gambling legal just because you unlocked it via a VPN.

If it is illegal in your country, then it will remain unlawful as long as you engage in it while still on the territory of a country in which it is prohibited.

So before you think about it, don’t. It’s illegal.

With that said, yes, a VPN can still unblock online betting sites, even from such countries. However, be warned, we do not advise it, as it would be breaking your local law.

There could, however, be cases where gambling sites were blocked while online gambling is not illegal.

However, these are rare occurrences, and most of the time, if such sites are blocked, it is because they are against the local law, so unblocking them would be breaking the law.

One example of a country where online gambling laws are not as straightforward is Turkey.

Online gambling in the country has technically been illegal since 2007, except for the state-owned sports betting firm IDDAA, which is allowed to provide online gambling services.

Can the gaming site detect I’m using a VPN?

This is also not a straightforward issue, and a lot of it depends on the website or app itself.

It depends on the size of the site, and whether or not it cares to employ the technology that would allow it to spot VPNs.

Big, well-known gambling websites likely have not only the tech but also interest in blocking VPN users, as they do not want to get into trouble.

If they allowed someone from a country that doesn’t support gambling to use their online casino site, they could find themselves in serious trouble with authorities.

However, if they were caught allowing that by the authorities, they could get into legal problems, and large, serious gambling sites likely wouldn’t want to have to deal with that.

As far back as 2006, owners of gambling websites have been getting in trouble for running operations in countries where they’re disallowed.

Bottom line is that you, as a user, could be forced to forfeit your winnings if you use a VPN and you score big and attract the website’s attention.

Gordon Vayo lost some $600,000 winnings after being caught using a VPN to play from within a restricted jurisdiction – it’s just not worth it.

Is there a free VPN for online gambling?

When to comes to free VPNs, you need to ask yourself if they’re worth all the risk?

In my opinion, they are far from safe and should be avoided like the plague. There are many risks involved with free VPNs; one of the main risks for gambling online is losing your money.

Due to free VPN services being “free”, they often get an excessive amount of people trying to use the service. This causes the IP address you’re connected to to be flagged, leaving you with a blocked account and potentially losing all of your winnings.

One other problem with free services is that they’re often plagued by slow internet connection speeds, which will hinder your ability to take part in live online gambling games such as online poker, blackjack, roulette, etc.

Missing out on vital bets due to a slow connection will leave you out of pocket and will often get you kicked out of games. Again, either of these situations could leave you losing any winnings that you may have.

Lastly, many free VPN apps have backdoors built into them. These backdoors will allow unsavoury characters to sneak into your account and access your funds, stealing your winnings and even your Cryptocurrency.

At the end of the day, free services are a gamble (pun intended); you’re best paying a few dollars a month for a premium service like ExpressVPN and minimise the risk and ensuring you have access to online gaming sports betting sites.

After all, ExpressVPN has a 30-day money back guarantee so it’s risk-free to try!

Summary

There are plenty of legitimate reasons to use a VPN for online gambling and sports betting.

After testing all of the regularly ‘recommended’ providers, we settled on ExpressVPN.

Not only is it easier to use than most but we also found it more reliable which is critical for online betting services.

They’ve got a 30-day money back guarantee which gives you plenty of time to test, if you don’t agree with us then you can get a full refund. They’re also offering 49% off their 12-month package which is well worth checking out.

Encrypt your online activity and access betting sites abroad without restriction with ExpressVPN.