The iGaming industry is an extremely dynamic one. In recent years, many countries decided to enact or update laws regarding online gambling, and this trend generated a lot of confusion among players. With all the new regulations, enthusiasts can have a tough time figuring out where exactly they can enjoy top-quality online slots and table games.
Luckily though, despite efforts from various governments, it’s practically impossible to police the internet. Therefore, there are numerous ways for online casino aficionados from all around the world to access their favorite sites regardless of restrictions. Out of all the workarounds developed for players to play anywhere, using a VPN or a proxy remains the most successful one.
So, if you found out overnight that your favorite online casino is no longer available, this article comes with a solution. Find out essential information on VPNs, proxies, how they work, and their role in bypassing online gambling restrictions.
What is a VPN and How Does it Work?
Some of our readers may already be familiar with VPNs and their functionality. However, it doesn’t hurt to have full information on the topic. So, VPN stands for Virtual Private Network, and the name kinda says it all. It’s a software you install on your computer that creates a virtual network within the public one provided by your Internet Service Provider.
All the traffic within this private network is secured and anonymous. Therefore, the authorities trying to apply censorship when it comes to online casinos or any other field won’t be able to review your traffic and apply their blocks.
Besides securing your internet navigation and history, a VPN can also make it look like it’s coming from a different location. And this is the part that is most useful for online gambling enthusiasts because most casinos apply blocks on visitors from certain countries.
How Does a VPN or Proxy Actually Help Casino Players?
To better understand this topic, we first need to take a closer look at how governments apply the online casino blocks and restrictions in the first place. After setting up the paperwork to sustain the censorship, the authorities basically force all Internet Service Providers in the country to monitor and block access to certain visitors.
For example, a casino licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority isn’t allowed to accept players from Malta. This means that all the ISPs in the country are told to limit access to that casino domain for traffic coming from Malta. Here’s where the VPN software comes in.
By creating a virtual network and making it look like the traffic is coming from a different location, the VPN enables players from Malta to access these casinos anyway. This example can be applied to all similar cases, whether we’re talking about the USA, Germany, Canada, or any other jurisdiction.
Furthermore, some operators who disagree with being blocked in certain countries choose to take matters into their own hands. Instead of waiting for players to figure out that they can use a VPN to continue accessing the blocked domain, they make use of proxies. Similar to a VPN, a proxy server is basically an intermediary between the players and the blocked online casino.
The proxy can mask the true origin of the request so that the Internet Service Provider won’t block the connection. Operators need to simply pass the proxy server address to players via email or any of the other means of communication, and the job is done.
Playing at Canada’s Best Online Casinos
Earlier, we’ve used the Malta example to illustrate the procedure used to block players’ access to online casinos. However, since Canada is in the process of regulating the online gambling environment, it’s a good idea for local players to explore some VPN options. It’s the only way to make sure no legislative movement will limit the access to a free casino bonus that you’re otherwise eligible for.
If you think such a thing can happen, it’s time to discover that several attempts were made in Canada across the years. The most recent example, Bill 74, initiated in Quebec and supported by the finance minister and many other politicians, intended to force internet providers to deny residents access to unlicensed online gambling sites.
Luckily, the bill was declared unconstitutional in 2018. Unfortunately, this doesn’t stop other states or the authorities from limiting access to online casinos and other websites. So, make sure you can always add reliable VPN software to your computer and avoid censorship.