Ultimate Guide to Online Betting Abroad

Access to the internet and 4G is easier than ever before. We can access them on laptops, tablets, and mobile devices, and therefore, more and more of us are choosing to use them for online betting.

Us Brits think nothing of pulling out our mobile phones and having a flutter on a betting site wherever we might find ourselves (check out our best betting apps guide); whether that is in the pub, on a lunch break, or even on holiday.

With such liberties, however, it might surprise you to learn that your betting activities might be restricted when on holiday or abroad in certain countries. This is because gambling laws are different around the world, and they are usually determined by the local authority and the country you find yourself in. Not everywhere is as free and easy to gamble in as the UK or Las Vegas, so what does this mean for your ability to place a bet with your regular bookies?

Find out more in our guide to betting abroad:

Can I Bet When Abroad?

Unfortunately, it is not a simple yes or no answer; it depends on where you are and the relationship that your bookmaker has with the gambling regulators in that country.

Essentially, in order to operate within a specific area, your bookmaker and betting site must either apply for a license or meet the country’s gambling laws.

This means, for example, if you find yourself in Germany on business and you’d usually place bets through William Hill, if they are not registered to operate in Germany, then you can’t place a bet with them there. Although you may be a UK customer, the location where you place the bet determines the outcome.

We explore some of the leading horse racing bookmakers below to see who is registered and where. This information changes frequently, but we have provided the most up-to-date details as we know them.

Betfred Overseas Betting

Betfred has grown substantially since opening with a single shop in 1967. There are now over 1,650 Betfred betting shops in the UK alone, and the company sponsors some of the most significant events in snooker, horse racing, and rugby league. Betfred also has a robust online betting site presence. It operates in over 32 countries worldwide and accepts 15 different currencies as betting payment methods.

If you are thinking of placing a bet online with Betfred overseas, then the chances are you won’t struggle too much, as they are fairly wide-reaching. If you are unsure whether your intended destination is on the restricted list, you can always contact Betfred horse racing to ask first.

It may be that your destination only has restrictions on some forms of gambling and not on others, so again, you might want to check on what is prohibited and what isn’t in advance.

William Hill Betting Abroad

William Hill are the oldest bookie in the UK and has a loyal following of punters. Founded in 1934 when gambling was still illegal in the UK, William Hill now has 2,300 betting shops in the UK alone. This strong high-street presence is also evident worldwide, with William Hill employing an estimated 16,600 people in its shops across more than 70 regions.

If you are using the William Hill sportsbook abroad, then you should have no trouble finding it in countries as far away as Australia and Canada. There is also a strong presence in Europe, with shops located in Italy, Germany, and Spain; however, some of these countries have restrictions on what you can bet on.

If you are unsure what these might be, a quick email to William Hill should clarify the situation for you. They are one of the best and easiest bookmakers for betting abroad.

Bet365 Betting Abroad

If Bet365 are your bookmaker of choice, you’ll want to know how this potentially affects you when gambling abroad. The leading brand has over 21 million customers across the globe and has a prolific online presence – they are recognised as one of the best horse racing betting websites in the world, but how does that translate to availability in popular destinations?

Well, it’s good news – the list of countries allowed by Bet365 is extensive. Bet365 is currently unavailable in 46 territories, including major travel destinations such as the USA, France, Spain, Portugal, and Poland.

They also have a restricted list to avoid paying penalties imposed by the local Governments. View our Bet365 horse racing review to learn more about these, and all their contact details should you have specific questions.

Paddy Power Betting Abroad

Despite being a relatively new bookmaker (founded in 1988), Paddy Power is one of the most recognisable brands in the industry. Known for their cheeky, irreverent humour in their advertising campaigns, their merger with Betfair in 2016 brought it a whole new audience. But, ‘Can I use Paddy Power abroad?’, you might wonder? Well, yes, you can.

The Paddy Power website and app are legal to sign into and use in 15 territories, and it is illegal in 13 others. This may seem disappointing at first, as their sister company, Betfair, is visible in over 50 countries, making it much more accessible to Brits abroad.

Ladbrokes Betting When Abroad

Ladbrokes is possibly the most recognisable name on this list. They are the biggest bookmaker in Britain with a staggering 4,000 Ladbrokes betting shops and over 30,000 employees. They are the primary sponsors for the top four tiers of Scottish football and have a worldwide presence. View our Ladbrokes racing review for more details.

Regardless of these impressive numbers, the list of Ladbrokes restricted countries is surprisingly extensive. Despite Ladbrokes being the oldest bookmaker in the UK (established in 1886) and having joined forces with Coral in 2016, they are currently unavailable in a whopping 220 countries and territories.

This doesn’t mean that there is nowhere on the map left to bet, far from it. Ladbrokes and Coral operate in just as many countries as they don’t, and they accept 14 different currencies as valid payment types.

Betfair Betting Abroad

Betfair combined its bookmaking muscle with Paddy Power in 2016 and has never looked back since. Betfair are now operating in more countries than at any other time in their history, and their ambiguous nature matched Paddy Power’s more down-to-earth approach.

Rather than state exactly which countries they do not operate in, Betfair uses the blanket description of; ‘’You cannot bet in the United States of America, Turkey, or any other country with a comparable legal situation.’ Clear as mud, then!

To be fair to them, you can bet in over 50 countries with Betfair Sports betting. You may need to contact them to determine which ones, though.

Why am I Blocked From Betting When Abroad?

With all of these well-known bookmakers operating in so many countries already, you might be asking, ‘Why am I blocked in the first place?’ It’s a fair question, and the answer is straightforward.

Different countries and territories have varying attitudes towards gambling. Some take a very relaxed approach, whereas others are steadfastly opposed. America, for example, has some of the most opposing attitudes to gambling in the world, which means you won’t be able to log into some gambling sites and betting sites.

Some states are all for it, and others have a total ban on all gambling activity, including playing at new online casinos and other games. You need to be sure of the local attitude towards gambling before placing that bet.

In addition to the local laws, there is also the issue of licensing. To operate in a particular region, bookmakers must apply for a license or meet the gambling laws criteria for that region. Sometimes, this is more trouble than it is worth for the bookmakers, so they don’t bother, especially when there is a neat little hack that can be used to get around the issue, as explored below.

How to Access UK Betting Sites Abroad via A VPN

Okay, so here’s how to access betting sites abroad even if your chosen bookies don’t officially operate there.

First off, how do they even know which country you are in? The answer to that lies in your IP address. Whenever you access the internet, you are assigned an IP address – essentially, a long string of numbers that reveals your identity and current location. This is how they determine your location. So, how are you supposed to get around that?

You hide. To disguise your whereabouts, you can use a Virtual Private Network, or VPN for short. A VPN will allow you to change the location of your server, in effect fooling your bookmaker into thinking you are still within the UK to access online betting websites.

Warning About Using a VPN For Betting

If you are considering using a VPN to conceal your actual location, heed this warning. The content in this article should not be regarded as legal advice; it is intended as a guide only.

While using a VPN is highly effective,e it can break the terms and conditions that you agreed to with your bookmaker. If they find out that you have tried to dupe them, they can shut down your account and even revoke your winnings, so you do this at your own risk.

Conclusion of Betting Online When Abroad

In conclusion, this Guide to Betting Abroad should give you some idea of how international gambling operates.

Popular destinations in Europe, Asia and the Americas are usually already catered for by the big UK bookmaking names, so you shouldn’t have any issues placing your bets as usual. If you are ever in any doubt, though, it’s always worth just sending them a quick email for clarification. We can sometimes take for granted how easy it is to bet online in the UK.

If your chosen bookmaker does not operate in the country you are visiting, there is a workaround in the form of a VPN, which will conceal your actual location. These are easy to access and can work wonderfully well, but you use them at your own risk.

Using a VPN is against the terms and conditions of all the major bookmakers, so you have to weigh up carefully whether you are willing to face the consequences if you get caught.

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