Best VPNs for gambling: How to access betting websites abroad

Are you tired of being restricted from accessing online sports betting websites in certain countries or states? It can be frustrating, especially if you’re traveling and suddenly unable to place bets. But don’t worry, there’s a solution to bypassing these restrictions: a VPN for gambling and sports betting.

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a powerful tool that encrypts all website traffic and directs it through a secure intermediary server. This allows you to choose a server location, giving you access to geo-locked content. With a VPN, your device’s IP address and location are masked and replaced with one from your selected country.

Once connected to a VPN, you can access sports betting, gambling, and fantasy sports sites as if you were in a different location. However, it’s important to note that not all VPNs are compatible with these sites. That’s why we’ve carefully evaluated and ranked the best VPN providers that work seamlessly with online gambling platforms. If you don’t have time to get stuck into all the details, we’ve summarized our recommended VPNs below.

Best VPNs for gambling and sports betting websites:

1. NordVPN: Best VPN for sports betting and gambling websites! Very fast, with lots of server choice and advanced security features. Strong on privacy and includes a 30-day money-back guarantee. TIP In our testing we found that the cheapest NordVPN plan (Standard) works perfectly for gambling.
2. Surfshark: Look no further for the best budget VPN for online betting sites. Fast servers, top-notch security, and no connection limits whatsoever.
3. IPVanish: Fast and reliable gambling VPN with secure servers, unlimited device connections and detailed apps. The cheapest monthly subscription of any provider on our list.
4. ExpressVPN: A solid general-purpose VPN that boasts high speeds and strong privacy protections. Great for all types of online gambling.
5. CyberGhost: Easy to use and won’t let you down for speed and security. A secure choice for gambling online.
6. PureVPN: Works with betting sites, online casinos, and streaming platforms. Great speeds and consistent connections.
7. ProtonVPN: Very secure VPN with 256-bit encryption and a no-logs policy for secure and private access to gambling websites.
8. PrivateVPN: Customer-focused provider with impressive speeds, good privacy, and security features ideal for gambling safely.

It’s important to note the difference between accessing a geo-blocked but legal site and a banned site or one that facilitates illegal gambling activity. For example, we implore you not to use a VPN to access gambling sites in countries such as the UAE where gambling is illegal and could land you in serious trouble with the authorities.

Important: From our research, some countries have completely banned online casinos and gambling while others don’t have specific legislation regarding the issue. We do not encourage or condone illegal activities or the use of a VPN to spoof geographic locations to break local laws. It’s important to do your research and investigate the online gambling laws within your country and state before using a VPN to access betting or gambling websites. If you are unsure of the laws in the state or country you are in we suggest you don’t take the risk of betting online.

How to access sports betting sites using a VPN

Once you have checked you are not flouting any local or national legislation by betting, follow these proven steps to access your usual home betting services from anywhere.

Here’s how to change your location with a VPN to access online gambling sites abroad:

1. Select one of our top VPNs for sports betting. Our preferred option is NordVPN. Sign up, and download the app to your device.
2. Select a VPN server location from your home country (where you usually access the betting site)
3. Login into the sports betting or online gambling site and you should be able to play as usual without restriction.
4. If the site still isn’t working, try clear your cookies and reloading.
5. If you hit any other issues, contact the VPNs customer support. Changing server, VPN protocol or other settings will often solve the problem.

Our criteria for the best gambling VPNs

There are many VPNs to choose from. Unfortunately, relatively few of them can keep you safe and secure while also providing uninterrupted access to betting websites abroad. We’ve found the best currently available by evaluating available VPNs against a list of criteria. These are summarized below, but you can get the full data and analysis later in the article.

• Speed: To find out what sort of speeds users can expect while connected to particular VPNs, we conducted a series of speed tests. Using a home broadband connection to simulate a real user’s experience, we connected to servers in countries with the largest gambling markets and tested our download speeds for each.
• Number of servers in large gambling markets: VPNs vary in the relative size of their server networks. However, big doesn’t necessarily mean better. What’s important to users who want to gamble online while abroad is that their chosen VPN has plenty of servers in the countries where online gambling opportunities are typically available.
• Security & privacy: We score each provider based on how they perform against 15 different security and privacy metrics. These include whether the VPN provider stores any activity or IP logs and what level of encryption they use.
• Ease of use: A VPN should be effective and easy to use. We measure this property using 10 different metrics, covering everything from app design to how easy subscriptions are to sign up for and cancel.
• Value for money: Cheap subscriptions are great, but there’s more to getting a good deal than that. We look at eight different criteria in all, which include price as well as whether free trials and money-back guarantees are available.

Best VPNs for gambling — a snapshot of features

Best VPNs for sports betting and gambling

In our years of experience, here’s our list of the best VPNs for gambling:

1. NordVPN

Dec 2024

NordVPN is our top pick, thanks to its heavy focus on privacy and online security. It keeps absolutely no logs at all, not even bandwidth data, so no gambling activities can be tied to a user. It uses 256-bit AES encryption with perfect forward secrecy and comes with automatic wi-fi protection to ensure users don’t unintentionally connect to the internet without VPN protection.

The provider even has its own lightweight connection protocol, NordLynx, which helps it back up its speed claims. We tested just how fast it was by connecting to servers in the largest gambling markets and measuring our download speeds.

Tested download speeds while connected to NordVPN servers

NordVPN performed well across the board but did particularly well in the UK and Italy, where speeds barely dropped beneath our base average download speed of 53.61 Mbps.

Servers are available in 111+ countries overall. Importantly (in terms of access to gambling sites), the provider has a strong presence in the US, UK, Australia, Italy, and Brazil. All of its 6,000+ servers are RAM-only, which means their memory is completely wiped on every reboot.

NordVPN has two types of kill switch available. One disables internet access if the VPN connection drops out. This can be a little annoying in practice if we’re honest. The other, more preferable, option is to specify apps that should be forced to quit if the VPN unexpectedly stops. This prevents any gambling apps from being able to connect to the internet without first being routed through a VPN server.

If you only want a VPN for accessing gambling sites, the split tunneling feature allows you to use gambling apps within the VPN tunnel, while using other apps with a regular internet connection.

Users with additional security requirements can make use of NordVPN’s specialty servers. The Double VPN option incorporates another server into the tunnel, meaning your traffic gets an additional layer of encryption.

Choosing Obfuscated Servers means your traffic is disguised as regular internet traffic so that it can bypass VPN blocks. This is useful if you’re trying to connect in countries where VPN use is restricted. It works in China, so it must be good.

Onion-Over-VPN servers allow you to connect to the Tor network with a single click. This is useful if you’re trying to remain anonymous online. However, the extra routing involved means your speeds will suffer, making Tor unsuitable for online gambling.

NordVPN apps are available for Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux, and Android. These come with built-in leak protection that prevents your IP address from being exposed to gambling sites. We confirmed that our location was hidden by performing IP, DNS, and WebRTC leak tests. NordVPN passed all three.

The software can also be configured on compatible routers. Subscriptions allow up to 10 simultaneous device connections, which is more than enough for most people.

In addition to being great for gambling online, NordVPN is one of the best VPN options for streaming. It can access even the most stubborn platforms. We’ve successfully tested it with Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and Hulu.

BEST VPN FOR GAMBLING SITES ABROAD:NordVPN is the best choice. It’s security-conscious, faster than any other VPN on the market, and great for betting abroad. What’s more, it comes with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our review of NordVPN.

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2. Surfshark

Surfshark is a relatively cheap VPN that has everything you need for hassle-free online gambling while abroad. It has the largest concentration of US server locations of all the VPNs in this list, as well as fast speeds and robust privacy and security.

The dashboard is easy to navigate — even if you’ve never used a VPN before. It’s largely the same across platforms, so you only need to learn how to use it once. Clicking Quick Connect will route your traffic through the nearest available server, though it’s easy enough to choose a specific country from the Locations list.

In all, Surfshark has servers in 100+ countries. All servers are RAM-only, which means data cannot be stored on them long-term. This, together with Surfshark’s independently audited no-logs policy, is a big plus for privacy.

Apps are available for Android, Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Linux. These come with protection against DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC leaks. We confirmed this was the case by performing a series of IP, DNS, and WebRTC leak tests.

The software uses 256-bit encryption and has a kill switch in all versions. A Clean Web feature helps block ads, trackers, and malware while gambling online, while the Rotating IP feature changes your IP address while you remain connected to your chosen location. This provides additional security, should you need it. For those who want to use the same IP address repeatedly, Surfshark has static IP addresses available in the UK, the US, Japan, Singapore, Germany, and the Netherlands.

Split tunneling is available for apps and websites. This means you can use your favorite gambling apps and websites within the VPN tunnel but use a regular internet connection for everything else.

Speed-wise, Surfshark is very fast. We tested it out by recording our download speeds while connected to servers in countries with large online gambling markets.

Tested download speeds while connected to Surfshark servers

Speeds were fast across countries, but particularly so when connected to servers in the UK and Italy. This isn’t altogether surprising, given our proximity to them. In all cases, the speeds were fast enough for online gambling without interruption.

If you intend to use Surfshark for streaming, you’ll be able to watch 4K video without buffering. Moreover, you’ll be able to access all of the big-name providers that you have an account with. Surfshark works with Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, BBC iPlayer and many more.

Surfshark’s unique ID generator tool can help if you need to create an account before accessing an online service in a particular country. Alternative ID creates a fake name and address (you can specify whether this is in the US, Denmark, Brazil, Australia, Germany, or Portugal) and even an email (which diverts to your true email address), which you can use when setting up accounts.

If you’re trying to connect from a restrictive country, enabling the No Borders mode will obfuscate your traffic and increase its chances of navigating any blocks. Surfshark is one of the more effective providers in this regard.

Read our full review of Surfshark here.

BEST BUDGET OPTION:Surfshark is highly affordable, with decent speds, great everyday potential, and an unlimited number of connections. 30-day money-back guarantee.

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3. IPVanish

IPVanish is a well-established provider with an independently audited no-logs policy and a particularly strong US presence. This makes it easy to access a wide range of US-based online gambling services.

The provider owns the majority of its network hardware, which helps ensure stable and secure connections. We tested out its speeds by connecting to servers in countries with a large concentration of gambling sites.

Tested download speeds while connected to IPVanish servers

IPVanish performed excellently — speeds didn’t drop below 45 Mbps for any of the countries we connected to. This is great, considering that our average connection speed without a VPN was 53.61 Mbps.

Usefully, IPVanish provides the relative load of each server so you can make an informed decision about which to go for.

Once connected, the dashboard displays a real-time graph showing the amount of data uploaded and downloaded. You can also see which protocol you’re using, your current IP address, and a map showing the location you’re connected to. All of these provide at-a-glance reassurance that your connection is protected.

IPVanish boasts excellent security, using 256-bit encryption and perfect forward secrecy to keep your connection secure. It has an independently audited no-logs policy and a built-in kill switch that adds an extra layer of protection by stopping all data transfers should the VPN connection drop. We verified that the provider is leak-free by carrying out IP, DNS, and WebRTC leak tests while connected to a US server.

IPVanish is relatively unusual in that it allows subscribers to connect as many devices as they want simultaneously. This makes it a great option for sharing with housemates or family members.

Split tunneling is available, and you can choose apps and domains to include or exclude from the VPN tunnel. If you’re traveling abroad, enabling automatic wi-fi protection ensures you don’t inadvertently connect to an unsafe network while gambling online. Users can also choose to block ads, trackers, and malware while connected.

If you’re trying to connect from a country that blocks VPNs, switching to the OpenVPN protocol lets you enable the Scramble feature. This can help traffic get past sensors designed to detect VPN use. Note that this didn’t work in China when we last tested it.

In terms of its streaming ability, IPVanish excels at accessing all the most popular platforms, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, and Paramount+.

The Advanced plan offers the most impressive value. It includes unlimited VPN access, one terabyte of secure cloud storage, and a cloud-based browser that runs in a sandbox. This lets you browse the web remotely, which protects you from malware and trackers, keeping your online activity safe and private.

In our tests, the cloud-based browser worked well for general private browsing. However, we did run into a few issues with HD and 4K streaming quality—it wasn’t as smooth as we’d hoped, and captcha requests popped up fairly often. While this might be a drawback for those streaming frequently, the browser’s secure, remote server access is a major asset for users in highly censored countries, where privacy is critical. Just bear in mind that this VPN doesn’t work in China.

On top of these features, the Advanced plan is priced impressively low, especially considering it combines both VPN and cloud storage. It’s rare to find both services bundled at such a competitive price, making this plan a great value for users seeking a broad range of privacy features.

The apps are easy to use and available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android. If you encounter any difficulties, the IPVanish customer support team is reliable, knowledgeable, and available day and night via live chat. The software is compatible with routers that support OpenVPN—you can find instructions for configuring a connection on the IPVanish website.

NO CONNECTION LIMIT:IPVanish is great for families that need multiple connections. Easy to use. Preferred by users with high standards of privacy and security. Servers in key locations. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our review of IPVanish.

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4. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN offers top-notch security. It’s based in the British Virgin Islands, far away from the mass government surveillance found in many parts of North America and Europe. It boasts strong 256-bit AES encryption with perfect forward secrecy and a kill switch that stops all internet traffic if the VPN drops out.

ExpressVPN only uses RAM-only servers in its network and even reinstalls the operating systems on each server every week. The provider has had multiple third-party audits of its network and infrastructure and has verified its no-logs claims in the process.

The app’s dashboard is easy on the eye and straightforward to learn how to use, making it a great VPN for beginners. There’s a big button you press to connect — you can either use the suggested Smart Location or click the three dots below it to choose your own location.

ExpressVPN has a solid presence in the pro-gambling countries of the US, Australia, and Italy. Connecting to these servers will provide you with access to a variety of gambling sites. To check whether these (and other) servers were suitably quick, we carried out a series of speed tests.

Tested download speeds while connected to ExpressVPN servers

The provider performed admirably overall. It was fastest when connected to servers in the UK and Italy, which isn’t altogether surprising given that we were connecting from the UK. It’s also worth noting how fast ExpressVPN establishes the initial connection. It’s almost instantaneous, which can’t be said for other VPN services.

If you plan to use a VPN for streaming as well as gambling, the above speeds are fast enough for watching 4K video without buffering. You can take your pick in terms of streaming platforms, as ExpressVPN works with virtually all of them. You’ll be able to access multiple Netflix libraries as well as content from the likes of Amazon Prime Video and BBC iPlayer.

ExpressVPN’s Options menu is a bit of a let-down design-wise, but it’s nevertheless very easy to use. Users can choose which apps to include or exclude from the VPN tunnel and specify whether they want to block trackers, malicious sites, ads, and adult sites.

ExpressVPN has its own lightweight VPN connection protocol — aptly named Lightway — that users can opt to use if they want to eek out a little more speed. OpenVPN is the other option. In both cases, users can choose between UDP and TCP. We’d suggest Lightway UDP for playing real-time games like poker. If you don’t make an active choice, the default option will be chosen for you.

Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, and Linux. These come with built-in leak protection. We tested this out while connected to a server in Brazil.

As promised, ExpressVPN didn’t suffer from any IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks.

Uniquely among VPN providers, ExpressVPN also has an app for routers. This replaces the router’s existing firmware and is far easier than configuring a connection manually. It’s an easy way to provide VPN functionality to every device on your network.

If you need to learn more about the service or get some help with setup or troubleshooting, the ExpressVPN customer support team offers highly competent support via live chat or email.

FLEXIBLE VPN:ExpressVPN can handle just about anything. It provides high speeds, excellent security, and access to servers all over the world, not to mention a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our in-depth review of ExpressVPN.

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5. CyberGhost

CyberGhost is based in privacy-friendly Romania and uses 256-bit encryption and perfect forward secrecy to help ensure that your online activities are never exposed to third parties.

The provider has a vast network of RAM-only servers, making it easy to establish a safe connection in most pro-gambling jurisdictions. CyberGhost is also very fast. We tested its download speeds in five countries that have particularly large online gambling offerings.

Tested download speeds while connected to CyberGhost servers

CyberGhost was the fastest VPN provider we tested for servers in the UK, US, and Brazil. It’s average download speed was just 2.44 Mbps slower than our base connection speed without a VPN. This makes it suitable for even the most demanding online gambling.

The provider has dedicated servers optimized for gaming, torrenting, and streaming. Using the streaming servers makes it easy to access a range of content libraries from Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, as well as country-specific channels such as BBC iPlayer or FranceTV.

CyberGhost does not store any traffic data or connection logs that can be tied to an individual user, and it publishes quarterly transparency reports where it details any third-party requests for user information.

If you’re prone to using the same Wi-Fi hotspot to access casino sites, you can enable settings that remember and automatically protect specific networks. A kill switch and DNS leak protection are automatically enabled, though you can turn them off if you really want to. CyberGhost automatically disables IPv6 when users are connected to the VPN.

We tested how leak-proof the service was by conducting IP, DNS, and WebRTC leak tests.

CyberGhost kept our UK location hidden while connected to a server in Malta, which is just what we want. It also passed the WebRTC and DNS tests.

Users who want to customize their connection can choose between the WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 protocols. Choosing the OpenVPN protocol gives you access to a form of split tunneling. The Exception option allows you to specify websites that you wish to use outside the VPN tunnel.

Other features include a tracker, ad and malware blocker, and automatic connection on start-up. Paid add-ons are available for those who want them. These include access to dedicated IP addresses and CyberGhost’s in-house NoSpy servers.

The company has a responsive customer support team available via 24/7 live chat. Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, Linux, and Android.

EASY TO USE:CyberGhost is great for beginners. Great privacy, zero logs and DNS leak protection. Good at accessing betting sites abroad. 45-day money-back guarantee.

Read our review of CyberGhost.

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6. PureVPN

PureVPN is a fast and secure provider with servers in countries many other VPNs shy away from. This can be useful if you’re trying to connect to countries such as Russia. The company also has servers in countries with the most going on gambling-wise, including the UK, US, Italy, Brazil, and Australia.

The PureVPN dashboard is a little basic, but this does make it easy to find your way around. Connections are protected using strong encryption, and there’s a kill switch to prevent your online gambling activities from being exposed if the VPN suddenly drops out.

The provider is based in the British Virgin Islands, which is beyond the reach of international intelligence gathering alliances such as the Five Eyes. This is good for user privacy — as is PureVPN’s no-logs commitment. The company has been independently audited on two occasions, and expresses its willingness to be audited at any time in the future. 

We tested PureVPN’s download speeds to ensure it was fast enough for the more demanding gambling sites. We carried out the tests while connected to servers in five different pro-gambling countries.

Tested download speeds while connected to PureVPN servers

PureVPN was consistently fast across countries, making it ideal for all types of online gambling. The average download speed was just over 3 Mbps slower than our base connection speed, meaning you’re unlikely to notice much of a difference while connected.

Players looking to access online casinos and poker sites can even pay a little extra for a dedicated IP, to ensure that they can access their account from the same consistent IP address. Just bear in mind that this feature costs a little extra. 

PureVPN subscriptions are notably cheap, with the longest allowing you to lock in an introductory rate for five years.

The VPN has apps for all platforms, meaning you can place bets on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Linux devices. These come with built-in leak protection, which we tested via the browserleaks.com site. 

PureVPN passed the IP, DNS and WebRTC leak tests, which means your true location won’t be exposed while gambling online.

Users’ connections are obfuscated by default, enabling you to connect from countries that would otherwise block VPN traffic. PureVPN works in China, as well as in other restrictive countries such as Pakistan and Iran.

Split tunneling is available, though this is app-only. Users can choose between the WireGuard, IKEv2 and OpenVPN connection protocols. Selecting the UDP OpenVPN option is a good call for live online gambling.

Live chat support is available 24/7, though we found them to be relatively slow to respond. Other than that, the VPN offers superb performance that represents superb value for money. You can try it yourself thanks to its 31-day money-back guarantee.

LOW COST:PureVPN is a reliable all-rounder that offers fast speeds and strong security. It can protect your data against online snoops and provide you with access to betting services all around the world. It works to watch regional Netflix.

Read our full PureVPN review.

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7. ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN is well worth considering if you want to access popular international betting sites. It has servers in 100+ countries, making it reliable for bypassing regional restrictions to access sites like Bet365, Betfair, DraftKings, and BetMGM.

We tested its speeds in countries with the largest gambling markets. The provider’s download speeds exceeded 50 Mbps in the UK, US and Italy. This is great, considering our average download speed when not connected to a VPN was 53.61 Mbps.

Tested download speeds while connected to ProtonVPN servers

As well as being fast enough for demanding gaming, ProtonVPN is a good option for streaming. It’s able to access all of the major platforms, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Paramount+, and Hulu. Note that with some platforms, you may need to try more than one server before gaining access.

ProtonVPN is based in Switzerland and was developed by the team behind Proton Mail. The service benefits from the country’s strong privacy laws and has an independently audited no-logs policy. It is one of the most advanced VPNs on the market, as evident from its information-packed dashboard.

There’s a graph showing the amount of data being uploaded and downloaded in real time, a map showing the current server location, as well as the server’s current load and IP address.

Users can usefully enable (or disable) a range of features without leaving the dashboard. These are represented by four icons in the top-left corner of the screen. The “lock” represents ProtonVPN’s Secure Core servers. Turning this feature on sends your traffic through an extra high-security server owned and controlled by ProtonVPN and based in a privacy-friendly country. This provides an additional layer of protection for those worried that their online gambling activities could be traced back to them.

The “shield” provides a shortcut to ProtonVPN’s ad, tracker, and malware blocker, while the “switch” controls the kill switch. The “arrow” relates to port forwarding, which is a means of making gaming and torrenting more efficient. However, VPN providers typically don’t allow port forwarding.

There are plenty of other features available via the Settings menu. Split tunneling allows particular gambling apps or websites to exclusively use the VPN tunnel. Users can also choose which protocol they want to use: either WireGuard or OpenVPN.

In addition to its list of regular servers, ProtonVPN provides one-click access to the Tor network via servers in France, Germany, Iceland, Hong Kong, Sweden, Switzerland, and the US.

The majority of users will not need to connect to the sluggish Tor network, but it’s nice to know it’s easily available. ProtonVPN adequately protects your location by default. We conducted IP, DNS, and WebRTC leak tests, and it passed them all.

ProtonVPN subscriptions aren’t the cheapest, but you get what you pay for in terms of security and performance. If you don’t need all the features it provides, you may find you are better suited to one of the cheaper options in our list. However, thanks to its generous 30-day money-back guarantee, you can try it yourself risk-free at any time.

GREAT FOR TORRENTING:ProtonVPN is a feature-rich VPN that is an impressive all-rounder. It is highly versatile thanks to its excellent apps for all platforms. It can access betting sites, online casinos, and poker services in 100+ countries around the world.

Read our full ProtonVPN review.

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8. PrivateVPN

PrivateVPN is a smaller provider than the others on the list. However, it lives up to its name and offers plenty of privacy and security features. Notably, it acts as its own ISP which reduces the opportunity for unwanted interference by third parties.

It has a strict no-logging policy, which means you don’t have to worry about any of your gambling activities being recorded, and an Application Guard, which will automatically shut down specific gambling apps in the event of a VPN disconnection.

The provider has approximately 200 servers in 63+ countries. Although it has a strong presence in pro-gambling countries like the US, UK, and Australia, you might want to look at one of our other providers for servers in more unusual destinations.

We tested PrivateVPN’s download speeds by connecting to servers in five different countries. Speeds were measured using the Ookla desktop app via a home broadband connection.

Tested download speeds while connected to PrivateVPN servers

Speeds for the UK and Italy were excellent, though the same can’t be said for Australia and Brazil. Perhaps we caught PrivateVPN on a bad day, as it’s normally one of the faster providers. If you do experience any slow speeds, dropping the level of encryption from AES-256 to AES-128 can help things along.

If you’re connecting to a country that has more than one server available, the listed ping times make it easier to choose the fastest option.

Unlike most VPNs, PrivateVPN allows port forwarding. It’s easy to set up, and once the VPN is connected, the port you need to use is listed on the dashboard.

The dashboard itself is easy to navigate, and there’s a simplified version that’s even easier.

PrivateVPN has a good reputation for streaming and can access big-name platforms such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, and Paramount+. In some cases, we’ve found that it’s necessary to enable the Stealth VPN feature to bypass blocks. This requires little more than sliding a toggle switch and will enable you to connect in even the most restrictive of countries.

PrivateVPN apps are available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android. They come with built-in leak protection, which we tested ourselves by running a series of tests while connected to a server in Bulgaria.

As promised, PrivateVPN didn’t leak our location during IP, WebRTC, and DNS leak tests.

Live chat support means your questions will be answered promptly, and you’ll have access to remote support for setup and troubleshooting. A PrivateVPN plan will enable up to 10 simultaneous connections and costs as little as $2 a month for a three-year subscription.

GREAT SPEEDS:PrivateVPN is consistently reliable. Connection speeds were surprisingly good at this end of the market. Could do with having more servers and lacks 24/7 support. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our review of PrivateVPN.

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Our Methodology: Finding the best VPNs for sports betting and gambling

It’s important that you choose the right VPN for gambling. After all, if it’s too slow, you could find yourself kicked from games. If it’s not secure enough, you risk your online activities being exposed to malicious third parties. Here are the key areas we focused on when choosing the best VPNs for gambling:

Speed

We conduct regular lab tests to determine exactly what VPNs are capable of speed-wise. However, we also like to determine how they perform in real-world situations. In this case, we wanted to know what speeds users can expect when connecting to servers in countries with the largest number of online gambling services. We carried out these tests using a home broadband connection with an average speed of 53.61 Mbps.

Speed test results (Mbps) by country and VPN provider

PureVPN performed the most consistently across all countries, while CyberGhost pegged the fastest speed in any one country.

Given that our tests were just snapshots of performance on a particular day, we asked one of our expert reviewers to additionally rate each provider’s speed based on their own experience using them long-term.

We combined this rating with our tested results to produce an overall score out of 10 for each VPN.

Combined speed score chart by provider

Our results suggest that NordVPN is the fastest provider overall, followed by CyberGhost and then PureVPN.

Server locations in the largest gambling markets

To ensure your online play isn’t interrupted, it’s a good idea to choose a VPN provider with an adequate number of servers in the regions where online gambling is popular. We took a count of how many locations each VPN served within each of the largest online gambling markets. To make it easier to compare providers, we converted the results to a score out of 10.

Server location score out of ten for each VPN provider

ExpressVPN has the most locations available, making it the best choice for finding servers suitable for gambling sites that aren’t heavily loaded with other users. Surfshark, IPVanish, and NordVPN are also good choices for uninterrupted online gambling.

Security & privacy

You want to be certain that your connection is both private and secure while gambling online. To this end, we measure 15 different criteria that impact how well a VPN achieves this. You can see the data in the table below.

We assign a score to each of these criteria to create an overall score out of 10, which makes it more convenient to compare providers directly.

Overall security and privacy scores for each VPN provider 

The first thing to note is that all of the providers in this article scored highly. They are all good choices in terms of their security and privacy. However, ExpressVPN was the best of them all, closely followed by NordVPN, Surfshark and PureVPN.

Ease of use

Most people don’t want to spend time fiddling around with VPN software or trying to reach a customer service representative if things go awry. Overall, it’s important that the VPN service is easy to use, which is why we score providers according to 10 different criteria.

We assign a score to each metric, which we use to generate an overall ease of use score.

Overall ease of use scores for each VPN provider 

NordVPN is the easiest service to use overall, making it the go-to option for those who don’t want anything distracting them while gambling online. IPVanish is the next-best option.

Value for money

It’s easy to fall into the trap of just choosing the cheapest VPN. To help users find those that truly offer good value for money, we score VPNs according to eight different criteria.

Overall value for money scores for each VPN provider 

If you want the best deal, Surfshark should be your first choice. IPVanish, NordVPN and CyberGhost also offer great value services.

Why you need a gambling VPN

Alongside the obvious safety benefits of using a VPN for any scenario, there are specific reasons why you might need a VPN for gambling. They are:

• Geographical and licensing restrictions: Gambling licenses vary by country, and by state in the US. You might live in a place where gambling is legal and travel to a location where it isn’t. This means you won’t be able to access your account or place any bets. A VPN will give you an IP address back home to continue gambling wherever you are.
• Faster connections: It’s no secret that VPNs can slow your internet down. But, in some scenarios, they can help. For example, a VPN can bypass bandwidth throttling. This is particularly important if you’re betting in-play and need to keep track in real time.

Laws and regulations for accessing betting websites abroad

From our research, different countries have varying laws surrounding online casinos and gambling. Some have banned it completely and governments instruct ISPs to block access to gambling websites. Examples include Brunei, Cambodia, Cuba, Cyprus, Lebanon, North Korea, Poland, Qatar, Singapore, and the UAE.

Others, such as Lithuania and Switzerland, require gambling websites to be licensed or approved before they can offer services in their respective countries.

Some governments have no clear legislation regarding the topic and it often becomes a ‘legal gray area.’ For example, in Canada, it appears to be legal for players to place bets with offshore operators, but the legality of those operators accepting the bets is brought into question. Then you have the US, where it is illegal to accept online sports bets, but it is not illegal to place them.

As you can see, the situation is already complicated. Plus, knowing when it’s okay to use a Virtual Private Network to circumvent restrictions adds another layer of complexity. Indeed, some betting services explicitly state that using a VPN to mask your location may violate their terms of use.

So you have two levels: regional restrictions and, potentially, restrictions put in place by the betting sites themselves. At the end of the day, you don’t want to land yourself in trouble with the law. Plus, you want to make sure any deposits you make and winnings you accrue are 100% legitimate so that they’re not confiscated.

In some cases, you’ll find it’s okay to access sites through a VPN if you’re a resident of the country in which they’re allowed, for example, while traveling. Or, in the case of Bovada, you may not even need a VPN to access your account (although it’s recommended you use one anyway):

The Bovada website may deliver an error message based on your location, but this also includes the following note:

“If you already have a Bovada account and are visiting us while traveling, you can close this window, sign in, and continue playing.”

However, if you reside in a country where a site is blocked completely, it’s probably not a good idea to use a VPN to circumvent these laws. Indeed, the same provider outlines in its terms of service that using a VPN to hide the identification of the users’ location could result in the termination of the account. This entails forfeiting account balances, including deposits and winnings.

So, aside from potentially having to deal with law enforcement, you risk having your account closed and losing any money in it. That would be an even worse feeling than losing a bet!

On the other hand, Bet365’s terms and conditions include the following:

“Internet gambling may be illegal in the jurisdiction in which you are located. If so, you are not authorized to use your payment card to complete the transaction. However, any bets/wagers accepted from such jurisdictions will stand – win or lose.”

This is more positive, but while VPN usage isn’t mentioned per se, location tampering could be against the rules.

As such, it’s always a good idea to check with individual websites before investing any money (in a VPN or placing bets). In some cases, they will simply tell you it’s flat-out not allowed, whereas others may be okay with it. These rules may not be easy to find within the vast amount of fine print on each site, but contacting customer support should get you the answers you need.

Here at Comparitech, we aim to create well-researched articles however, nothing in this article should be considered legal advice. We always recommend checking the laws of your local country before placing any bets online. 

Security and privacy aspects of using a VPN

Aside from unblocking sites, a VPN will help to protect your privacy. Because the gambling and betting industries are so tightly controlled, it could be more likely that your internet activity is being monitored in some way. With a VPN, all data is encrypted, and your Internet Service Provider will be unable to snoop on your online activity.

What’s more, if you’re using wi-fi while traveling, a VPN can secure the connection so you don’t have to worry about threats from malicious hackers. This is especially important if you’re planning on accessing and using betting websites while on the go. You could be unwittingly handing criminals your passwords, credit card details, and banking info.

While traveling, you may want to access your accounts and place bets while connected to public Wi-Fi. However, due to the risks involved with unsecured and fake networks, we don’t recommend this. On the other hand, if you absolutely need to provide credentials and personal information over Wi-Fi, you should take some basic precautions.

First and foremost, connect using a VPN. Some on our list come with automatic Wi-Fi protection for all networks or individual ones you can specify. For others, you’ll have to start the app yourself. Make sure you do this before connecting to the network, as it doesn’t take long for a hacker to steal your details.

Even if you’re protected by a VPN, you should look for secure networks and stick to secure websites. You can turn off sharing settings and enable your firewall if applicable. Using common sense while browsing, such as logging out of sites once you’re finished and using strong passwords, will help you stay safe and secure.

Best gambling sites

In case you’re running into issues with your favorite site, there may be alternatives out there to fit your needs. Since the rules for different sites vary, you may be able to find one that has the flexibility to enable you to place bets from where you live or are traveling to. From our research, below are some popular sites and the countries they operate from. Bear in mind that the country of operation isn’t necessarily an indicator of where you can place bets.

Responsible gambling resources

Although we support people’s rights to use the internet as and when they want (free of unnecessary censorship or blocks), we also understand that gambling can cause many grave social and personal issues.

The repercussions of gambling addiction and of gambling irresponsibly can be very serious, leading to significant financial losses, strained relationships, depression, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts.

At Comparitech, we encourage everyone to consider the social and financial implications of gambling.  Anybody who is considering gambling or who gambles regularly is encouraged to visit the resources below to protect themselves and educate themselves about how best to gamble responsibly.

All of the responsible gambling resources listed below are designed to help individuals who struggle with gambling problems get the help and support they need:

1. National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG). This is a US-based non-profit organization that offers information and support for gambling addiction.
2. Gamblers Anonymous. This is a community program that helps gamblers to overcome their addiction by sharing their experiences with others.
3. The National Problem Gambling Helpline. This confidential helpline is available 24/7 to get help with gambling addiction.
4. GamCare. A UK-based organization that offers support, advice, and counseling.
5. BeGambleAware. A UK-based organization that offers information and support for gambling addicts.
6. Gambling Therapy. A global online service that provides support and advice.

Which U.S. states allow sports betting?

Sports betting in the United States has grown significantly since the Supreme Court struck down the federal ban in 2018. As of August 2023, several states have legalized sports betting, either in-person, online, or both. Here’s a breakdown:

States with Full Mobile and In-Person Betting:

1. 1. • Arizona
      • Arkansas
      • Colorado
      • Connecticut
      • Illinois
      • Indiana
      • Iowa
      • Kansas
      • Kentucky (as of September 2023)
      • Louisiana
      • Maryland
      • Massachusetts
      • Michigan
      • Nevada
      • New Hampshire
      • New Jersey
      • New York
      • Ohio
      • Oregon
      • Pennsylvania
      • Rhode Island
      • Vermont
      • Virginia
      • Washington D.C.
      • West Virginia

States with Only In-Person Betting:

1. 1. • Delaware
      • Mississippi
      • Montana
      • Nebraska
      • New Mexico
      • North Dakota
      • South Dakota

States with Pending or Limited Betting Options:

1. 1. • Maine (Pending)
      • North Carolina (Pending)

While many states have embraced sports betting, the regulations and availability vary. Using a VPN can be a solution for those wondering how to sports bet in states that don’t allow it. However, it’s crucial to understand the legal implications and potential risks involved.

Always ensure you’re betting responsibly and within the confines of the law. As more states continue to consider legislation, the U.S. sports betting landscape will likely evolve further.

Can I use a free VPN to access betting websites abroad?

When you’re browsing VPN providers, you’ll no doubt come across numerous free offerings. Many make bold claims and promises, but in reality, most are subpar products. Some are simply out to make a profit in unscrupulous ways.

On the practical side of things, you’ll often find a free service gives you access to a very small network of servers, so your location choice is limited. This is no good if you absolutely need a particular location for accessing betting websites.

What’s more, these services typically have too many users for their resources and you may actually have to wait for a server to become available. Clearly, this won’t do when time is of the essence and you need to place a bet. Even if you’re connected to a server, speed and reliability don’t tend to be priorities of free service providers, so there is potential for even more delays.

Even if you overcome all of the practical issues associated with a free VPN, you still have to think about privacy and security. These are often jeopardized by the methods used to create a functioning business model for the service providers. Some practices involve logging user activity, using tracking cookies, carrying malware, and even selling users’ idle bandwidth.