Anonymity in Online Gambling – Can you be anonymous?
Anonymity in Online Gambling or wanting to be relatively unknown while you’re gambling online is more complicated than it sounds.
Privacy is a concern for many, even more so when money is involved.
Anonymity in online gambling is, for most people, a preemptive act of safeguarding their gambling activity from someone who might want to misuse the information.
Anonymity and privacy on the Internet are vast subjects in themselves, and in this article, we’ll explain what they mean specifically in the context of online gambling.
I’ll cover whether you stay anonymous, the levels of anonymity you can attain and the benefits of each. In the end, you’ll have a much better idea and appreciation of how to protect your privacy online.
There are some things that a player can do that are good practice and apply to everything you do on the Internet, and there are some things that people focus on that make no difference at all.
You might find it interesting that anonymity isn’t achieved by using a VPN and depositing with crypto. Your focus on anonymity lies elsewhere.
Let’s start by explaining what anonymity is in the first place.
Can You Remain Anonymous and Gamble Online?
While it is possible to maintain a degree of anonymity when gambling online, achieving complete anonymity can be challenging. Here are some factors to consider:
- Account Creation:
- All online gambling platforms require a user to create an account by providing personal information such as a valid email address, username, home address, and sometimes even identification documents. This initial step on its own might compromise complete anonymity. Providing false information is possible, but you’ll come unstuck when making Deposits and Withdrawals, as personal details need to match the whole way through.
- Payment Methods:
- Traditional payment methods, such as credit cards or bank transfers, can leave a trail of financial transactions. However, some online casinos accept cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, which can provide higher financial privacy.
- VPN Usage:
- A Virtual Private Network (VPN) can help conceal your IP address and enhance online privacy. However, not all online casinos allow VPN usage, and violating their terms of service may lead to payments being withheld and, worse, account suspension.
- Platform Policies:
- Online casinos have terms of service and privacy policies that outline how they collect, store, and share user data. It’s crucial to understand these policies to gauge the level of privacy the platform offers.
- Local Regulations:
- Legal and regulatory requirements vary by jurisdiction. Some countries have strict regulations that mandate online casinos to collect and verify user information, limiting the extent to which anonymity can be maintained.
- Emerging Technologies:
- Some blockchain-based gambling platforms leverage decentralized technologies to enhance user privacy. These platforms may offer a higher degree of anonymity compared to traditional online casinos.
Online casinos often implement measures to ensure fair play, prevent fraud, and comply with legal and regulatory standards. They’d be unable to do this if players remained utterly anonymous.
It’s unlikely you’ll be able to gamble online and remain completely anonymous just because of the terms of business and policies implemented by the online casino to protect their business and adhere to regulatory requirements.
How To Limit Your Visibility While Online
While complete anonymity is unlikely if you want to gamble online, there are some things you can do to limit who can see your data and gain access to your private data.
- Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network)
- A VPN can help mask your IP address by routing your internet traffic through a server in a different location. IP Addresses are used to identify your location and devices. A VPN adds a layer of privacy to your online activities by providing a secure tunnel through which your transactions, including gambling, travel. However, not all online casinos allow VPN usage, so check the platform’s terms & conditions.
- Cryptocurrency Transactions
- Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin provide more financial privacy than traditional payment methods. Some online casinos accept cryptocurrencies for added anonymity. Remember, though, that when converting Crypto back to a FIAT currency, the exchange will need your personal information and bank details to make the transaction.
- Create Pseudonymous Accounts:
- When signing up on online gambling platforms, use pseudonyms and provide only the mandatory information required to open the account. Do not use fake names for the account holder, but do use nicknames for your onscreen persona.
- Review Privacy Policies:
- Understand the privacy policies and terms of service of the online casino you choose. Some platforms collect and share more user data than others, and being aware of these policies helps you make informed decisions.
- Secure Wi-Fi Connection:
- Ensure you use a secure and encrypted Wi-Fi connection, especially when gambling online. Avoid public Wi-Fi networks, as they may pose security risks to your data, or scan your credit/debit card details when you make a deposit.
- Anonymous Browsing
- Use privacy-focused browsers or features, such as private or incognito browsing modes, to minimize the storage of cookies and browsing history. Additionally, consider using browser extensions that enhance privacy.
- Regularly Update Security Software
- Keep your antivirus and anti-malware software up-to-date to protect against potential threats. Regularly update your operating system and other software to patch security vulnerabilities.
- Research Casinos Reputation
- Choose reputable and licensed online casinos. Research the casino, read reviews from other users, and ensure the casino follows fair and responsible gaming practices. Picking a casino licensed by the UKGC or MGA is a good start.
What Else You Can Do
Payment Methods
Other than a few select cryptocurrencies, there’s no such thing as an anonymous payment method.
Payment methods like Banks have a solid audit trail. They like to know where money has come from and where it goes. Anti-money laundering legislation is a requirement for all banks, so Know Your Customer policies are prevalent. If you open an account with a bank, you have to provide all sorts of personal information and financial data so they can prove you are who you say you are.
Payment processors, such as e-wallets, Skrill, and Neteller, are a different way of making and receiving payments. You can create and receive payments from within the same ecosystem or outside and fund your accounts from your bank account and credit card.
PayPal is an e-wallet hybrid of a bank and a payment processor. It’s an e-wallet tied to a bank. People often use PayPal as a go-between, where you take money from your bank, deposit it in your PayPal account, and then make a payment from your PayPal account. The merchant, on the other hand, does not have a direct connection to your bank details.
In some countries, PayPal issues a plastic card, which functions more like Skrill and Neteller.
PayPal is American, which means it has restrictive user rules and isn’t afraid to freeze the funds. At the same time, the account information and activity are probably an open book for every agency in the USA.
There are P2P exchanges that will swap money between two different systems. For example, buy Bitcoin with PayPal or move money from Skrill to EcoPayz.
Cryptocurrencies
Cryptocurrencies are usually more or less anonymous in their own right, but the trading platforms are heavily regulated. It’s almost like banks – or even more so because governments fear crypto. Also, the traditional monetary system readily tracks the transaction when cryptocurrency is exchanged for fiat currency.
People who want to avoid the regulatory regime associated with cryptocurrencies use wallets to store their crypto and own the private keys. But the casino will still have the player’s real name and other personal information. The transactions remain outside the traditional monetary system – as long as crypto isn’t converted into fiat.
Some large cryptocurrency exchanges issue plastic cards, but while it may seem this is an anonymous way to convert crypto to fiat, it is anything but.
As we already said, the crypto exchanges are heavily regulated, and the cards are in the Visa or Mastercard ecosystem, along with your name.
An ATM withdrawal will be anything but anonymous!
If you can avoid exchanging crypto for Fiat currency and stay within the crypto ecosystem, your transactions will avoid any bank or tax authority overview. Only the casino would be aware of the sums involved.
Conclusion
There is no 100% way to remain anonymous when you are gambling online. But there are ways to limit your exposure to who knows your gambling and where that is taking place.
The casinos are bound by privacy laws that prevent data sharing in certain circumstances.
Banks must scrutinise financial transactions, so if you want to avoid that use and stay in the Crypto ecosystem when gambling.
Avoid using email and other communication methods that are not secure or encrypted.
If there’s one thing to take away from this small guide on anonymity, it’s to check how the institutions you’re giving your personal information to share that with third parties. It might just be that these institutions are your best friend in your quest for anonymity!