Tablets, smartphones, and other electronic devices allow us to enjoy our hobbies on the go. Some people find fulfillment in online betting while on vacation or over a business trip.
Chances are you will experience issues in sports betting, which you might not have thought existed. Let’s fix that.
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Online Betting While Abroad
Imagine being in a foreign country and deciding to kill time with your favorite betting service. You could be bored or need some extra money to fund your trip. You then open your screen and try out a few promotions with some bookmakers only to find that the service you have always used is restricted in your region.
Anyone who has tried online gaming abroad will tell you they have encountered this error. Before we can explain how these blocks can be bypassed, it is vital that you understand why you are denied these services. Many websites and bookies do not transact business in some countries. This is due to the specific policies of the company or laws of the country.
Betting sites must first apply for licenses before operating in a region. They are then expected to obey the gambling laws of the country. If the country you visit has not offered a license to your bookie, access to the site will be denied.
Before traveling, it might help to find out if your operator is available within that region. The good thing is, even if the country you are visiting is not licensed, we have solutions to this problem.
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Choose the Best Bookmakers for Betting Abroad
You can give yourself a higher chance of being able to bet abroad by signing up with bigger sports betting sites such as Comeon. The bigger sites tend to have broader global coverage. Understand, however, that you may not automatically use your account interchangeably between countries even when the bookies accept accounts.
Some may allow you to access your account but restrict the markets you bet on. Get in touch with the customer support of the country you wish to visit to find out if you will still access your gaming site and a specific market.
Related: Online Sports Betting Tips and Tricks
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Rules for Online Betting When Abroad
Sports betting rules vary from one country to another. It means you may not quite get a definitive answer to the rules that must be followed. However, there are 5 key markets for online gaming abroad:
- Licensed Restricted: The procedures, the law, and the tax may mean that you may not be prohibited to use your UK account abroad. It could also mean that you cannot access certain markets. Some games and offers may also be unavailable.
- Licensed Unrestricted: Here, a gaming site is expected to have a license for all operations and must adhere to the set tax and gaming laws of the country. If the country you are visiting is licensed, there is a good chance that you will access your online bookmaker.
- Regulated: This is considered to be a grey area, where territories have gaming laws yet do not license the operators directly. Although it is the duty of the operator to choose the country they operate in, it is essential that you also find out about the laws applied in the country you wish to bet from.
- Unregulated: This is about countries that do not have specific laws for online gaming. Although it is the responsibility of your bookie to decide if you can game from your country of choice, you will have no protection should anything go wrong in a non-regulated territory.
- Illegal: In these countries, online gaming is strongly restricted in that you do not have any permission to bet. Gaming sites work to ensure that customers are blocked from these territories, but there is always a way around it for the gamer, such as the use of a VPN. Should you take the risk, it could cost you heavily in the end. Doing so could cause you to forfeit your winnings and have your account suspended by your bookie. You could also face penalties such as fines or be liable to the law of that country.
If you are planning to travel, find out if your bookmaker operates in that particular territory. Do a quick check of the terms and conditions to get instant answers. Your rights are controlled by the laws of the country you are betting from, not where you created your online account.
Related: Tips for Choosing the Best Online Casino
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Avoid VPNs (Virtual Private Networks)
Many people use VPNs to log into their betting sites in countries that prohibit their bookies. Because they hide your IP, they make you appear as though you are using the site from your home country. But how do they work? Each time you use the internet, there is a wired connection that tracks back your activities to your IP address.
With a VPN, all the data is transferred to a different network before it comes back to you. It means that when used in online betting, the betting site can only see the VPN’s IP address. These are used to fool the bookmakers. However, this is a dangerous path, because doing so contravenes the terms set by your bookie.
Should your bookie find out that you are connecting from a foreign country via VPN, they may terminate your account. Note that some bookmakers are now using software that detects when a user is trying to access their site using a VPN. If you choose to use a VPN to conceal your location, use it at your own risk. The smart thing to do is to identify a bookmaker that is licensed in the country you are traveling to.
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Taxes
Difficulties betting in some countries is due to the tax laws. In many countries, the tax applies to all operators. Because the operators are also indirectly charged for all winnings and stakes, they pass it to the users through higher margins.
When betting online, it is technically not too challenging to win wagers. Even with vague knowledge about sports, you can still make an accurate prediction wherever you are. Because gambling laws vary by nation, the gambling landscape can be uncertain. Given that your bookmaker determines where you can place your bet, be sure to consult with them before traveling.
Related: Top 7 Proven Tips and Tricks for Successful Live Sports Betting
