Smartphones, tablets, and other electronic devices allow us to enjoy our hobbies on the go. Some people find satisfaction in online betting while on holiday or over a business trip.
Chances are you will experience some difficulties in sports betting, which you might not have thought existed. Let’s see what it’s about.
Betting rules vary from one country to another
Different states have different laws and regulations, so it’s important to catch up on those before investing your energy and money into something that could easily prove to be more trouble than it is worth.
It’s not simply whether you are allowed to bet on something or not – it does depend on where you are and also the relationship that your bookmakers have with the gambling regulators in that state.
To put it simply, in order to operate within a specific country, your betting site or bookmaker must apply for a new license or you will need to meet the country’s gambling regulations.
For example, if you find yourself in the Netherlands on business and you’d normally placed bets through Betcris, you can install a VPN on your device to bypass geo-restrictions and place bets with them there.
If you are planning to travel, find out if your betting site or bookmaker operates in a particular country. Read their terms and conditions to get instant answers.
Beware tax implications
There’s nothing wrong with betting with local bookmakers when you’re abroad on holiday or business. But do be wary that in doing so you will leave yourself vulnerable to that country’s tax laws. In many states, the local tax applies to all businesses because they are also indirectly charged for all the winnings and stakes. Because of that, the operators will also get you through higher margins.
When betting online, it’s technically not so challenging to win. Even with no experience in sports, you can still make a precise projection wherever you are.
Because betting regulations vary by country, the betting space can be uncertain. Given that your betting site determines where you can place your bet, be sure to check with them before traveling.
How to place bets online while abroad?
Not being able to place bets with your chosen bookie can be such a letdown. But just because you’ve been blocked does not mean placing bets is history for the rest of your trip.
A simple workaround is to use VPN to hide your true IP address (and, therefore, your location!). Basically, a VPN will help you pretend you’re in a certain country while you are in an entirely different one.
For instance, say you’re traveling in Morocco, and you want to unblock your bookmaker in the Netherlands. A VPN assigns you a Netherland IP address so that the bookmaker will “think” that you’re in the Netherland when obviously, you are in Morocco.
Finding out that your homeland bookie is blocked when you’re traveling outside the country can be frustrating. However, placing a few or two best abroad is generally not that hard. If you’re a loyal customer of your local betting platform, you can usually bypass geo-restriction and access it with complete ease.
First and foremost, to be able to bet abroad you need to make sure:
1. The Country You’re Travelling to is Accepted by Your Bookie
Most booking platforms list which states’ residents can play at their site. Enter your bookie’s terms and conditions and see if there’s a list of accepted or banned countries. If you’re still in doubt after reading the list, don’t be afraid to send a message to customer service through live chat. It’s always a good idea to be safe than sorry – if you do sign up from a foreign, unlisted region, your bookmakers have the right to forfeit your winning and return the original deposit. Fortunately, the most popular betting sites accept players from countries around the world.
2. Check available payment options
While most popular sports betting platforms offer their customers a wealth of payment options, many payment options are not accessible in some countries. While you should have no problem using your homeland bank account, getting betting winnings into your local account may be more challenging. You should opt for e-wallets like Skrill, PayPal, or Neteller, which are available in most countries.
3. Use a VPN
More often than not, in order to access a series of streaming services and platforms, you need a virtual private network to mask your current IP. The same goes for betting sites that require a VPN in order to be accessible in foreign regions.
4. Set Your Bets in Advance
If you know you’re traveling, then you should set up your wager before you go. Make sure you set a reminder to place your bets and avoid all disappointment.
This might work for advance bets; however, it doesn’t cover you if you’re making spontaneous bets or exploit odds for changes. If your bookmaker accepts bets, you can often place these when abroad, it’s the agent on the other line that places the bet so you can still be categorized as betting from within your homeland.
Betting while abroad is generally not that complicated. If you already have an account in your homeland, you can easily access it via a virtual private network. A paid VPN subscription is definitely a smart move since it will constantly update its latest IPs. Be mindful to make sure you find a good VPN provider that targets international players too, if not, you can always find international betting platforms that accept players from your local region.
Note that although a VPN can help to mask your online activity from the local governments, at the end of the day, it’s your responsibility to comply with the regional regulations on gambling, as well as your bookmaker’s own terms of service. Fly safe, and make sure you do all the thorough research required before leaving the country – after all, your money is in the game, and you’re the sole responsible for them.
