If poker sites are blocked in a country that you are visiting, or live in, you can use a VPN to get around these restrictions. In this guide we show you the best VPNs for online poker, how to use them and what you need to know before you play your first hand.
The Best VPNs for Poker Sites at a Glance
Check out our list of the best VPNs for Poker below. The following VPNs all work with PokerStars, GGPoker, 888Poker and more.
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ExpressVPN
– The best VPN for online poker. ExpressVPN has an expansive and robust server network, perfect for privacy & protecting against DDoS. -
CyberGhost VPN
– An easy to use VPN for Pokerstars. It has slick apps for iOS and Android too – perfect for accessing PokerStars on the go. -
Private Internet Access
– One of the most secure Poker VPNs on our list. It keeps zero logs and boasts useful features like a kill switch & Static IPs. -
Surfshark
– The cheapest VPN for poker sites on our list. From $2.49 a month you get a wide choice of servers to unblock sites like PokerStars. -
VyprVPN
– A well rounded VPN for playing poker online. You get fast connections, apps for all platforms and static IPs as an option as well.
Get ExpressVPN our #1 VPN pick for online poker
With a poker VPN, you can sign up for poker services and online casinos like PokerStars, 888 Poker, or PartyPoker. In some countries, online gambling is illegal. Unfortunately, this also includes playing poker online. Luckily, a VPN can let you access restricted poker sites from anywhere in the world. Even in the US, some poker sites are restricted in certain states – and people playing in poker tournaments may need a VPN to access their accounts.
Before recommending a VPN for playing onlne poker, we ensure that it offers:
- Fast servers in key locations around the world
- Solid encryption and privacy features
- Responsive and knowledgable customer service agents
- Good value for money
- The ability to unblock a vairety of major poker sites.
Now that you know what we’re looking for in our online poker VPN recommendations, let’s take a closer look at which providers made the list.
The Best VPNs for Online Poker Websites | In-depth analysis
We sifted through hundreds of VPNs to select the very best options for PokerStars and other popular online poker sites. If you’d like even more information on a particular VPN listed here, you can read our reviews by following the link at the bottom of each provider.
ExpressVPN is fast and offers static IPs in the US. Ideal for unblocking PokerStars, FullTilt, and other popular poker sites
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Pricing
From
$6.67 –
$12.95 -
Available for
- Windows
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
- Linux
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Server locations
- 94 countries
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Unblocks
- Pokerstars
- 888Poker
- GGPoker
- PartyPoker
ExpressVPN is a service at the very top of the VPN industry. It has servers in 94 countries around the world, including all the places you need servers to play poker. It has extremely robust levels of OpenVPN encryption and a privacy policy that can be trusted. The VPN runs on Tier-1 servers perfectly suited for absorbing high sudden bursts of requests during DDoS attacks.
The entire network of servers is lightning fast and is perfect for unblocking poker. It has a kill switch and it permits five simultaneous connections, so you can run this on a virtual machine to protect you against crashes. This VPN is easy to use, available for all platforms, and will protect you both at home and on public WiFi.
Finally, it has a 30-day money-back guarantee to allow you to test the service risk-free.
CyberGhost is an easy to use VPN, with static IPs you can connect to. Perfect for PokerStars and other sites.
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Pricing
From
$2.25 –
$13.47 -
Available for
- Windows
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
- Linux
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Server locations
- 112 countries
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Unblocks
- Pokerstars
- 888Poker
- GGPoker
- PartyPoker
CyberGhost is a great VPN pick for poker players thanks to a huge pool of servers in 90 countries around the world. Subscribers will benefit from strong OpenVPN and easy installation and setup, and CyberGhost’s user-friendly apps are available for all popular platforms. Importantly, the VPN offers a firewall-based kill switch, and you’ll be able to run CyberGhost on your real machine and on your virtual machine at the same time. You can also get a dedicated IP address for poker for an additional €5 per month, which makes this service ideally suited to those who are highly concerned about protecting their poker account.
No usage logs are kept, and the VPN has an excellent privacy policy. What’s more, CyberGhost is based in Romania, which is well out of reach of invasive governments like the UK and the US. The VPN is fully-featured with DNS leak protection and a kill switch, which is ideal for maintaining your privacy while at the online poker table.
Finally, the VPN provides super-fast speeds for playing poker or streaming in HD and provides a 45-day money-back guarantee to test the service. Plenty of servers to choose from make this an excellent poker VPN, and it even has static IPs for those who are happy playing poker without a dedicated IP.
PIA is a no-logs VPN with static IPs in the USA, meaning it works great with all major online poker sites like GGPoker.
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Pricing
From
$2.59 –
$10.51 -
Available for
- Windows
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
- Linux
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Server locations
- 74 countries
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Unblocks
- Pokerstars
- 888Poker
- GGPoker
- PartyPoker
Private Internet Access (PIA) is a US-based provider that has proven its zero-logs claims in court on multiple occasions. Recently, the VPN was acquired by Kape Technologies – a cybersec firm based in London with a primary aim to assist consumers with boosting their online protection. PIA is a well-rounded provider that offers 12,480+ servers in 74 countries around the world, and you can expect fast speeds on all of them – which is doubly impressive when you consider how inexpensive PIA is when you purchase a longer-term subscription plan.
What’s more, PIA provides strong OpenVPN encryption, making it a favorite among Reddit users. There’s also live chat support, and PIA can reliably give you access to US Netflix without any hassle. Thanks to its kill switch and static IPs, PIA is well-suited for quickly unblocking poker sites, and quick Tier-1 servers can protect you against DDoS attacks. You can hop on in with the provider’s 30-day money-back guarantee!
Surfshark is a superb, fast VPN with plenty of static IPs for accessing poker sites in most locations
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Pricing
From
$2.49 –
$12.95 -
Available for
- Windows
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
- Linux
-
Server locations
- 63 countries
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Unblocks
- Pokerstars
- 888Poker
- GGPoker
- PartyPoker
Based in the British Virgin Islands, Surfshark is a no-logs VPN service with great technical security, a bunch of useful features for playing poker online. The service has servers in over 60 countries and that network includes a high number of static IPs that ensure your poker provider always registers the same IP address when you log in to your account. The service can unblock virtually any content you desire, and thanks to its kill switch it is useful for torrenting, playing poker, and other sensitive applications. We love this VPN’s superb 24/7 live chat support – which you can use to get help unblocking poker at any time of day. Sadly, Surfshark does not sell dedicated IPs. However, if used responsibly, this VPN can allow you to play poker online without issues. Try it with its 30-day money-back guarantee.
VyprVPN is a highly secure VPN that will unblock poker sites, like Sky Poker, and can protect you against dreaded DDoS attacks
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Pricing
From
$2.50 –
$12.95 -
Available for
- Windows
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
- Linux
-
Server locations
- 70 countries
-
Unblocks
- Pokerstars
- 888Poker
- GGPoker
- PartyPoker
VyprVPN is a very fast VPN that runs on a proprietary network of servers. This makes it perfect for protecting against DDoS attacks during poker games. It provides strong encryption, and the software is a pleasure to use. Along with lightning-fast speeds, the servers are located all over the world, spanning over 70 different locations. This VPN is great for playing poker thanks to the availability of static IPs. And a ‘Business Cloud’ account will allow you to set up a dedicated IP! VyprVPN is available for all popular platforms and is fully-featured with important security protections such as a kill switch (to stop you from accidentally leaking your real IP address to the poker site), DNS leak protection, and stealth mode. Plus, you can test it risk-free using its 30-day money-back guarantee.
How does it work?
A poker VPN will allow you to pretend to be in a different location. The VPNs we’ve recommended in this article all have extensive server networks with a wide selection of global locations. This means you can play poker on all sorts of different sites from around the world!
Is it safe?
By using a VPN, you can secure your data and protect your online privacy by preventing your ISP from tracking the sites you visit online. As a result, you’ll be able to access online poker sites without any concerns that your ISP will inform the government that you’re breaking the law.
A VPN conceals your IP address, too. Websites won’t be able to tell where you really are when you visit them – instead, when connected to a VPN, the poker sites you check out will register the VPN’s IP address and assume you’re in the same location as the VPN server you’re connected to.
VPNs can also protect poker players against Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. DDoS attacks are sometimes used to boot players out of a game at a crucial moment, allowing another player to win all the money.
Will my online poker account get banned for using a VPN?
A PokerStars VPN is a popular – and potentially lucrative – service, but it is true that some users have had their accounts closed down and their profits confiscated for using a VPN. It’s vital that you do your research into the subject of using a VPN alongside poker sites, and even more important that you exercise caution.
Why do you need a VPN for online poker?
Geo-blocks stop people from accessing poker sites in countries where they are officially banned. Unfortunately, not every poker player in the world is as lucky as those who live in the US or UK. Some sites will even block access to anyone trying to connect to the site from countries that have banned online poker.
Some poker sites also force players to compete against people in their own country. You might prefer to play against some of the best (or worst) poker players around the world. In that case, you’ll need a poker VPN to pretend to be in another country.
Distributed Denial of Service Attacks
Any online player can be targeted by a DDoS attack – a cyberattack that overloads your computer’s network with hundreds of thousands of requests.
When your system is inundated with these requests, it prevents you from being able to download more data. Your connection to the poker site will drop, and you won’t be able to place bets or, potentially, stay at the table. As a result, your opponent will win all the chips.
Every device connected to the internet has an IP address. This IP address is given to you by your Internet Service Provider (ISP). This address is how cybercriminal poker players directly target their victims. When you use a VPN, your true IP address is effectively hidden from any potential attacker, while the VPN servers are able to absorb the attack and keep you safe.
Without a VPN, your internet connection will completely freeze up during a DDoS attack. When this happens, it’ll appear as though you’ve gone offline – and this is why you’re kicked from the table and lose the pot.
Nowadays it is even possible for a poker opponent to pay for a DDoS attack against you. A short attack that lasts a few minutes can be purchased online for just $5. This DDoS on-demand service has led to a massive increase in people who play poker being attacked. In fact, Akamai reported that in Q2 2017, 82% of all DDoS attacks were aimed at online gaming sites and their customers.
If you want to play poker without having to worry about DDoS attacks, a VPN is the best solution. A VPN acts as a buffer that can take the brunt of the attack, allowing you to keep playing poker.
Vital features of a VPN for Poker
The reasons to use a VPN on sites like Pokerstars, FullTilt, or 888Poker will differ depending on where you live and at what level you are playing. To help, we take a look at some of the more common use cases below.
Unblocking safely and securely
If you unblock a poker website in a country where gambling is illegal, you could get in trouble with law enforcement. And unblocking a poker website from a location that is geo-restricted will usually be in breach of the Terms of Service.
As a result, if you are caught using a VPN, the poker site could confiscate all the money you have accumulated in your account. Luckily, there are some things poker players can do to ensure that they can’t be found out.
Firstly, consider starting a new account. Only put enough money in that account to play each day – and cash out your winnings regularly to keep your account as empty as possible. Playing with an account that has accumulated a lot of winnings is risky. So don’t do it.
In addition, always use a static VPN IP address. The providers we have recommended in this article have static IPs, but it is still worth asking your chosen provider which servers have static IPs. And, to be sure, it is worth using our IP checking tool before you log in to your poker account each time. Simply make a note of the IP address and make sure that you are always using that IP address every time you play poker.
Warning
If you’re caught using a VPN, the poker website has the right to confiscate your winnings. This is a very real possibility and we wouldn’t recommend risking it at all!
Playing poker with a VPN is done at your own risk and we hold no liability for any losses incurred by breaking the Terms of Service on a poker site. The information in this article is intended for educational purposes only.
DDoS Protection
As mentioned above, launching a DDoS attack is becoming an increasingly popular way to cheat amongst online poker players. The attack works by overloading your device’s network card with requests, and because the network card simply doesn’t have enough processing power to handle those requests, you get disconnected. Luckily, VPN servers can handle a large volume of requests at once. This means that when you connect to a poker site via a VPN, the VPN conceals your IP address, and if somebody tries to attack you, they actually attack the VPN server – rendering the attack completely futile.
The VPNs in this guide have robust Tier-1 servers that can cope with the vast majority of DDoS attacks. They use load balancing, as well as other techniques, to deal with an attack if and when it happens. As a result, a VPN has the capacity to absorb the DDoS attack and save you from being booted from the poker table.
Use a Kill Switch
If you connect to a poker website using a VPN IP address, and, in the unlikely event that your connection drops out, you will leak your real IP address to the poker website. The poker website will learn where you are, and this can result in a blocked account and the loss of all your winnings.
A kill switch blocks traffic from leaving your device unless the VPN is on, meaning that if the VPN connection drops out, the kill switch will kick in. This stops you from revealing your real location to the poker website.
You’ll need a reliable VPN with a firewall-based kill switch in order to play poker securely with a VPN. Bear in mind that some firewall-based VPNs will stop working if the app crashes, as they only operate while the app is working.
To get around this problem completely you will need to use a VPN that permits multiple connections. You will then need to run the VPN with the kill switch enabled – on both your real machine and on a virtual machine. That way, if one instance of the VPN happens to crash the VPN running on the other machine will still protect you!
Get a Dedicated IP
The best thing you can do if you want to play poker using a VPN is to get a dedicated IP address. A dedicated VPN IP address is an IP address that only you use.
Very few VPN services provide this, but it is by far the best way to play poker online and never get caught. Using a dedicated IP address in the country where you want to pretend to be in (and a kill switch) is the most secure way to play online poker. In fact, many people would agree that it is the only absolutely secure (foolproof) way to play poker using a VPN.
If you’re a big-time poker player or a poker star that wins big (or plays in important tournaments), you should definitely get a dedicated IP address. We’d also recommend running two instances of a VPN with a firewall-based kill switch on both a real and virtual machine for optimal security.
By clicking the link above, you’ll be able to check out the services we’d recommend that have static IPs or dedicated IPs. To find out how much a dedicated IP will cost, get in touch with your VPN provider for a direct quote.
Will these VPNs work with all online poker sites?
Yes. Poker players in most countries have the freedom to pick from a number of different popular poker sites. And, even those in countries where online poker is banned, with the right VPN, you have the ability to choose to play on multiple sites. As such, we have tested these VPNs all work with the most popular online poker sites, including:
- PokerStars
- 888Poker
- FullTilt
- Sky Poker
- PartyPoker
FAQ
Below are some of the most common questions we see from visitors looking for a VPN for online poker. If you have any questions not mentioned here, feel free to drop us a message in the comments section at the end of this guide.
Best Online PokerStars VPNs: Conclusion
Online services such as PokerStars and 888 Poker are blocked in certain places. However, they don’t try to fight national bans. You can get in on the action and circumvent blocks and restrictions by using a VPN for poker.
However, it is worth noting that some comparison websites falsely claim that VPNs like PureVPN are good for poker. This is untrue because PureVPN does not have a reliable firewall-based kill switch. Please don’t use PureVPN for poker and be very wary of websites that mistakenly claim it is best: it is not best – it is a very big risk! Without a reliable kill switch, you could leak data about your real IP address to the poker website: giving away your real location.
You’ll need a reliable VPN with a system-wide firewall-based kill switch in order to play poker securely. You’ll also need to connect to the VPN with your real machine and virtual machine at the same time – just in case the VPN crashes. It’s a good idea to talk to your VPN provider before subscribing, to find out whether it has a system-wide firewall-based kill switch.
Finally, there really is no better way to protect yourself when playing online poker than with a dedicated IP address: if this is what you want to do, you will need to use CyberGhost
. CyberGhost VPN is the one in this list that has absolutely everything you need to be completely secure while playing poker with a VPN (2 simultaneous connections for using on a virtual machine and your real machine, a firewall-based kill switch, and a dedicated IP).