Gambling online is rapidly becoming one of the most popular pastimes. The so-called iGaming industry first got its start in the 90s. However, it was only in the 2010s that it picked up steam. In 10 short years, online casinos became the juggernaut that they are today. It is rare, in 2024, to find gamblers who haven’t, at least, tried their luck at a casino online.
However, it is just as common to find prospective gamblers who are apprehensive about joining up with an online casino. Their reasons largely stem from concerns regarding safety, security, and anonymity.
Well, fear not because, in this article, we are sharing some tips and tricks for protecting your identity when playing online casino games.
Why Stay Anonymous?
Before we get to the topic, we would first like to talk about a few reasons people might have for wanting to stay anonymous. The primary of these reason is safety. In 2024, most of us will have an online presence. So, it is extremely easy for hackers or other cyber criminals to mess with our lives if they get ahold of the correct information. For this reason, you should try to do your gambling at online casinos without providing your SSN. More often than not, these websites tend to be offshore casinos.
Some other reasons for wanting to maintain anonymity may be personal. Perhaps you don’t want your friends or colleagues to know what you do in your spare time. Or maybe you prefer not to share personal information with strangers online. Whatever your reasons are, they are valid. And if you follow the upcoming tips, you will have no trouble protecting your online identity.
Get a VPN
The first thing you must do is get a VPN. For those who don’t know, a VPN (or Virtual Private Network) is a program that extends your private network across a wide range of public networks in your area. Not only does doing this protect your IP address, but it also hides your location, identity, or any other information related to your private network. On top of that, using a VPN also increases the functionality of your network. So, as you can see, there is undoubtedly a reason that people are still buying VPNs in 2024.
A virtual private network is excellent, even if you don’t necessarily care about remaining anonymous. Through a VPN, gamblers can access various offshore sportsbooks and gambling sites that don’t require an SSN. And that is not all. A VPN allows you to access certain region-specific websites or content. For example, if you have a Netflix account, using a VPN can let you watch shows or films unavailable in your country.
Several virtual private networks are accessible even if you don’t have the cash to spare. Granted, they are not as great as the ones you pay for. However, they still do a fantastic job of letting you access region-restricted websites and protect your identity or device from potential risks.
Don’t Share Private Info
We touched on this before a little bit. If you want to stay anonymous, try looking for websites that don’t require too much personal information. When browsing online casinos, you will find that many want to know your social security number. If you would like to remain anonymous, try to avoid these websites. There is no reason a gambling website should see a user’s social security number. There are different ways to identify players and ensure they are of legal age. And quite a few websites that don’t ask for their players’ SSNs do a fine job of maintaining an audience that is old enough to gamble.
But it isn’t just your social security number that you should avoid sharing. Don’t give out any unnecessary information to the website or to other players. As we said, most websites will require you to share information pertaining to your age. Anything more than that is too much. So, make sure you play it smart and keep any personal information to yourself.
Try Alternate Payment Methods
Since the earliest online casinos, the most popular payment method has been the credit card. Naturally, the website will require any information about your card if you are paying with a credit card. In other words, you have to share additional personal information. Luckily, since the 90s, payment methods have come a long way. Nowadays, plenty of online casinos have embraced a wide variety of deposit options. Some of the best ones to keep your identity safe are crypto-based deposits and deposits using e-wallets.
Cryptocurrencies, as some of you well know, are decentralized digital currencies. Not only do they exist online, encrypted into a blockchain, but they are also nigh impossible to trace, making them an excellent option for a gambler looking to remain anonymous. Of course, cryptocurrencies also come with a few downsides, namely, the incredibly high volatility of the market. It isn’t unheard of for crypto-gamblers to deposit Bitcoin at the start of the game, win, and still be in the red simply because the price of the crypto has dropped during the game’s duration.
If that volatility makes you apprehensive of Bitcoin, you can always try using e-wallets instead. Skrill and Netteller provide excellent services. E-wallets bring you all the positives of cryptocurrency without any downsides. In other words, if you are someone looking to protect your identity online, e-wallets are a great choice.
Some Final Thoughts
Online anonymity is becoming more critical than ever. As we said, most of us have an online presence in 2024, so protecting our identity should be our top priority. With hacking on the rise, all of us must do whatever is in our power to protect ourselves from cybercriminals. If you are a gambler online, we hope that the points and tips we shared in this article can help you better protect your safety when engaging in your hobby.
