That time of the month has come yet again. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has yet again decided to block some Australian online casinos. Its quest to restrict the freedoms of online gamblers continues as the organization has added 10 more casinos to its ISP block list.
Ten More Casino Added to ACMA Block List
Yes, we know this sounds like a broken record. However, the ACMA has yet again decided to block more online casinos. Here is a complete list of the casinos they are trying to “protect you” from:
- All Spins Win
- Aussie Play
- Bonza Spins
- Golden Pokies
- Golden Reels
- House of Pokies
- Play Croco
- Pokie Mat
- Pokie Spins
- PokieZ
Can you guess why they are banned? That’s right, the ACMA “investigated” these sites and determined they violated the Interactive Gambling Act 2001. (All online gambling sites that are accessible in the country violate the law because the government refuses to regulate online gambling.)
So what does this mean? If you’re new to this site, the ACMA has the authority to demand that ISPs in Australia block sites that violate the IGA. Any sites on the block list must be restricted by ISPs. That means you will no longer be able to access these sites after a time. You will have a brief amount of time to access these sites and get your money off of them.
But What if I Want to Play at Sites That Are Blocked?
If a site is blocked by the ACMA, that doesn’t mean that the casino is blocking you. Instead, your internet provider is blocking access to the website. There is a simple way to get around this block, and that’s by using a VPN.
VPN is short for Virtual Private Network. The way it works is that you install a VPN program onto your computer or mobile device and connect to a non-Australian server. Once you connect to the server, all internet browsing is conducted through that server. You’re effectively connecting to another computer in a different country and using the internet access there to surf the web.
From there you can access your favorite online casino sites and play pokies or your favorite online casino games. People have used VPN for online gambling for years, and some Aussie politicians have even recommended using a VPN to bypass restrictions.
What Are the Risks of Using VPN for Online Gambling?
There are very few true risks for using a VPN to gamble online. However, there are a few things you should be aware of. First, VPN can slow your connection speeds depending on which servers you connect, the traffic on the network, and other technical factors. You can always switch to another server or another service to improve your speeds.
Next, you want to make sure that the VPN servers you use are in countries allowed by your online casino. For example, some casinos restrict access to the United States, so using a US server is not ideal. Generally, a server in Sweden or Switzerland is your best option as they are the most lenient on iGaming.
Lastly, you may want to upgrade to a paid VPN product. This depends on how much you gamble online. If you are an infrequent gambler who only plays a couple of hours or so a month, free VPN services will do the job.
However, if you are a regular gambler or high-stakes gambler, then a paid VPN service may be a better option. Most upgraded VPN services only cost a few bucks per month. You get faster speeds, additional server options, and lower traffic servers.
While not the most ideal scenario, using a VPN to continue playing at online casinos is an option. Unfortunately, it is a necessary one for as long as the government decides you cannot be trusted to make personal decisions for online gambling.