There’s been a recent stir in the online gambling community. In the past few years, major celebrities like Drake have entered the industry as affiliates and influencers, driving masses of new players from both the US and abroad.
18+ Online Gambling Gets New Growth
Drake is partnered with Stake, an offshore 18+ online mobile casino based out of Curacao. Since December of 2021, the artist has boasted massive wins and has gone on multiple promotional trips courtesy of Stake.
And with a live stream gambling event coming in the next few weeks, Drake fans have been eager to get started with the site. However, there has been a lot of confusion among US players as to whether or not they can play.
The short answer: No.
Stake does not yet service US players and it is unclear how long it will be until they do. Even so, there are instances of gamblers using a VPN to circumvent this issue.
With so many trusted 18+ online casino options available to US players, there isn’t much of a need to break the Terms of Service at Stake or any other VPN casino for that matter.
Nonetheless, there has to be some serious appeal. There are tons of YouTube How-To’s explaining how to bypass Stake’s ban on US players.
To us, the risk just doesn’t seem worth it.
Offshore vs VPN casinos. Is there a difference? Why should you care?
An offshore casino is any gambling site whose legal jurisdiction is in a different country than its players. In most US states it is 100% legal to play games offered by such operators.
Variations Between Legal Casino Operators
Top operators like Bovada and Slots.lv fall into this category, having served US players for many years. Stake still qualifies as an offshore casino, hosting online gaming for players in Canada and the UK.
The issue of Stake’s availability in the US is a matter of choice. Still, the measure is enforced with a heavy hand.
While you might be able to sign up and even make a deposit and gamble, reputable 18+ casinos all require their players to complete ID verification before withdrawals can be processed.
If you violate your site’s Terms of Service by using a VPN, you may not be able to prove residence in the region and could lose all your winnings and betting balance.
Although some fringe enthusiasts relish in the added risk of losing everything to a zip code, most would be pretty heartbroken if they woke up to being locked out of their account.
Crypto banking is, by far, one of the most attractive facets of Stake and other competitors like it. But for US players, the rewards simply aren’t worth the risk.
Sure, you might be able to get away with a couple small payouts. But do not underestimate the willingness of an online casino to terminate illegal accounts.
For more information on 18+ Bitcoin casinos and other online gaming, head over to our reviews tab. We’ve got everything you need to pick out a digital casino that’s both legal and accessible to you.
Source: USA Today