Best VPNs for Online Poker in 2026 (Unblock Safely)

Do you enjoy playing online poker for entertainment (or maybe to earn a quick buck)? Sites like PokerStars and 888Poker are becoming increasingly popular, but the risks are also significant. Winning a hand won’t matter if your connection drops or a hacker gains access to your private information. It’s also hard to play in countries where such sites are banned.

You can overcome all of these challenges by using one of the best VPNs for online poker. A VPN provides numerous privacy and security benefits to keep your money and identity safe. Connecting from the right VPN server allows you to get past any restrictions and continue playing poker wherever you are. It also can make sure your ISP doesn’t slow you down.

Clearly, you shouldn’t entrust your security to just any VPN provider. This is why we’ve done the research and found the best VPNs for poker that offer excellent unblocking capabilities, fast speeds, along with strong privacy and security.

The best VPNs for online poker

1. NordVPN — The all-around best VPN for poker, with excellent security features, fast speeds, and a massive global network of servers (get 77% off with this coupon).
2. Surfshark — A fast VPN with unlimited simultaneous connections, all on a budget. Visit site >
3. ExpressVPN — Easy-to-use, premium VPN. Visit site >
4. IPVanish — Great online poker VPN with unlimited simultaneous connections. Visit site >

In this article we will cover top poker VPNs in detail, give you good reasons to use them and provide tips how to get the most out of them.

How to set up and use a VPN for online poker

When you use a VPN, you connect to one of thousands of VPN servers spread across the world. Because your internet traffic passes through the VPN server, websites (like the online poker site you want to connect to) think that you are located where the VPN server is located. If you connect to a VPN server in a locations where online poker is legal,you will be able to play as if you were physically present in that location.

A premium VPN will also securely encrypt your data when it passes between your device and the VPN server in either direction. This is crucial because encryption prevents third parties from accessing your sensitive information, including your identity and credit card data.

To begin using a VPN for poker, all you have to do is:

1. Subscribe to one of the premium poker VPNs we recommend in this guide.
2. Register, download, and install the VPN app on your device.
3. Use your credentials to log into the app.
4. Enable advanced security features.
5. Connect to a VPN server in a location where online gambling is available.
6. Securely and privately play poker online.

In this example, I am using NordVPN to connect to a NordVPN server in New York (USA). This allowed me to access and gamble on a popular poker website.

Congratulations, you are now ready to securely play online poker. Here are the best VPNs to use for online poker based on our testing:

Now, we will cover each top VPNs for poker in more detail.

NordVPN — Ultimate VPN for poker

NordVPN is our favorite poker VPN for a myriad of reasons. It has one of the biggest VPN networks, spanning 8,800+ servers in 177 locations worldwide. This includes many servers in New York, which is a great location for playing poker online. NordVPN is powered by multiple advanced VPN protocols, including NordLynx.

NordLynx is built on top of the WireGuard VPN protocol, and provides quick and secure connections with industry-leading speeds. In our NordVPN vs ExpressVPN comparison, we have done multiple speed tests to see how good it really is. We got impressive results when connected to NY VPN servers, often reaching over 825 Mbps, as you can see in the screenshot below.

However, security is much more important than speed when it comes to playing poker online. To keep you safe, NordVPN uses extremely secure ChaCha20 encryption with NordLynx to safeguard your financial information. There are also various leak protection tools in place (IPv6, WebRTC, and DNS) that will make sure your identity doesn't end up online. When everything else fails, you can rely on its powerful kill switch for security.

NordVPN premium tools

• Obfuscated Servers — These servers hide your VPN traffic from your ISP. Using obfuscation may be crucial if you are from a country that employs strict online censorship or restricts gambling. This is why many people use NordVPN as a top VPN for China. The downside is that obfuscated servers will slow down your connection a bit.
• Double VPN Servers — Will further boost your security while playing poker. While this will double your encryption, it will also affect your speed. The same feature is present in Surfshark and ProtonVPN.
• Dedicated IP Servers — For a few bucks, you can get an IP address that you don't need to share with anybody. NordVPN’s dedicated IP will improve your performance and may positively affect your security.
• Split Tunneling — Lets you create an exclusive VPN tunnel for playing poker by allowing you to control what apps can use NordVPN traffic.
• VPN Proxy — A high-end extension available on all popular browsers.
• VPN Kill Switch —  This stops your private information from ending up online. If all other security methods fail, the kill switch will turn off your Wi-Fi before your identity gets compromised.
• Threat Protection —  An advanced scanner that blocks ads, removes malware and trackers, and stops you from opening suspicious websites.

See all NordVPN features here >>

With NordVPN, you can easily unlock restricted websites like 888Poker and PokerStars. Its app is available on most platforms, including computers and smartphones. This VPN also supports router installation, allowing you to quickly protect multiple devices. By subscribing, you will have 10 simultaneous connections you can use within your household.

NordVPN is a top free trial VPN, so you don't risk anything by trying it. All subscriptions include 24/7 live chat support in case you run into problems or have questions. And if you're not impressed, simply use its 30-day money-back guarantee for a full refund.

NordVPN plans	Basic	Plus	Complete	Prime
1-month	$12.99/month	$13.99/month	$14.99/month	$17.99/month
1-year	$4.59/month	$5.49/month	$6.49/month	$8.49/month
2-year	$2.99/month	$3.89/month	$4.89/month	$6.89/month

Deal: Get 77% OFF NordVPN 2-year plans >

Learn more details by heading on to our complete NordVPN review.

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Surfshark — Affordable and secure poker VPN

Surfshark is a fast-rising premium VPN from the Netherlands with 4,500+ servers in 100 countries around the globe. This includes many locations where online gambling is fully legal, making it a particularly good option for unlocking restricted poker sites. Surfshark defaults to using WireGuard wherever possible, and provides quick connection to servers, impressive speeds, and top-notch security.

We saw all these characteristics while updating our NordVPN vs Surfshark comparison, The service performed flawlessly. It has the security features you need for online poker, such as kill switches, private DNS, and Camouflage mode, Surfshark's version of obfuscated servers. Now add in the fact that Surfshark is an audited no-logs VPN service that supports unlimited simultaneous connections and is priced like a budget VPN, and you can see what a value this service is.

One place where Surfshark lags NordVPN is in raw speed. The Nord engineers have managed to boost the speed of their service to a level we haven't seen before. But that doesn't mean that Surfshark is slow. Far from it. In our latest testing, Surfshark was second only to NordVPN in delivering consistent high speeds across its network.

Surfshark features

• CleanWeb — A premium ad blocker that eliminates trackers and malware.
• Dynamic MultiHop — A fully customizable version of double VPN servers.
• NoBorders — Allows you to use Surfshark without restrictions even from countries that employ censorship. This is one of the reasons why this is a top  VPN for UAE and Dubai.
• VPN Proxy — A powerful browser extension that prevents identity leaks and stops you from going to suspicious websites.
• Smart DNS
• Kill Switch 
• Obfuscated Servers (Camouflage mode) — Select the OpenVPN protocol, and Surfshark automatically obfuscates all traffic on Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS devices.
• VPN Split Tunneling
• Nexus technology — Switches your IP periodically or every time you visit a new website. This can further boost your security but is slightly inconvenient.

See all Surfshark features here >

Surfshark is available on various devices, including all platforms from which you can play online poker. If you want to protect multiple devices in your household, simply install it directly on your router. This VPN allows unlimited simultaneous connections, so you can protect every device your heart desires. Thanks to its intuitive and minimalist interface, even beginners can easily navigate Surfshark.

Subscriptions start at $3/month, making Surfshark one of the best cheap VPN services available. Customer support is available 24/7 and will quickly solve your technical difficulties. You don't risk anything by trying Surfshark, as you are protected by a 30-day refund guarantee.

Surfshark plans	Starter	One	One+
1-month	$15.45/month	$17.95/month	$20.85/month
1-year	$3.19/month	$3.39/month	$6.29/month
2-year	$1.99/month	$2.49/month	$4.19/month

Deal: Get 87% OFF Surfshark 2-year plans >

To learn more about it, check out our Surfshark review. 

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ExpressVPN — Classic VPN service perfect for beginners

ExpressVPN is another reliable poker VPN service with a decade of experience. It has a worldwide network of 3,000+ servers in 105 countries, including many locations that allow you to gamble online. ExpressVPN allows you to choose between solid VPN protocols: OpenVPN, IKEv2, L2TP/IPsec, and Lightway — a direct alternative to WireGuard.

Although our ExpressVPN vs Surfshark comparison showed us that ExpressVPN with Lightway is slower than Surfshark with WireGuard, ExpressVPN is definitely fast enough for playing poker online. Under the best conditions, our speed was around 718 Mbps.

ExpressVPN performs much better on privacy and security. It uses industry-standard AES-256 encryption to shield your data, and includes both a reliable kill switch and split tunneling. The provider operates a strict, audited no-logs policy and runs its entire server network on volatile RAM-only servers (TrustedServer technology), ensuring no data is written to hard drives.

ExpressVPN also supports the modern ChaCha20-Poly1305 cipher suite through its in-house Lightway protocol. Lightway intelligently selects ChaCha20 or AES-256 based on device capabilities and includes post-quantum-resistant key exchange, making it one of the fastest and most future-proof VPN protocols available.

Multiple independent audits cemented ExpressVPN's industry status. Cure53 conducted an extensive pen test on the Lightway protocol, which showed that its security is excellent.

ExpressVPN advanced features

• VPN Proxy — An excellent browser extension that makes ExpressVPN one of the best VPNs for Chrome.
• Smart Location — Automatically connects you to a close server that will give you the best performance.
• Device Groups — Lets you connect each device on your network to a different VPN server.
• Obfuscation
• Leak Prevention (IPv6, WebRTC, DNS)
• Split Tunneling
• Kill Switch 
• Media Streamer 
• Threat Manager 

See all ExpressVPN features here >

ExpressVPN is available on all kinds of modern platforms, ranging from computers to smartphones. By installing it on your router, or using one of the ExpressVPN Aircove routers, you'll be able to protect multiple devices on your network without having to install a VPN app on each device separately. 

Depending on which ExpressVPN subscription you get, the service will support between 10 and 14 simultaneous connections. If you want more, we suggest that you take a look at Surfshark or IPVanish. Lastly, ExpressVPN provides quality support through its 24/7 live chat system and gives you a 30-day money-back guarantee.

ExpressVPN plans	Basic	Advanced	Pro
1-month	$12.99/month	$12.09/month	$19.99/month
1-year	$4.99/month	$5.99/month	$8.99/month
2-year	$3.49/month	$4.49/month	$7.49/month

Deal: Get 73% OFF ExpressVPN 2-year plans >

Get more information by reading our full ExpressVPN review.

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IPVanish — Cutting-edge VPN for poker

IPVanish is a premium, US-based VPN. It owns and operates its entire infrastructure, which is a plus for players who want reliable, low-latency access to regulated US sites. While its network is mid-sized compared to giants like NordVPN (over 3,200 servers in 150 locations across 113 countries), it can easily handle your online gaming needs.

The service supports the big three protocols: IKEv2, OpenVPN (UDP/TCP), and WireGuard. In our testing, WireGuard delivered some of the fastest connections we’ve seen—perfect for lag-free multi-tabling or quick decisions in fast-fold games. In our NordVPN vs IPVanish comparison, IPVanish delivered some extreme speeds, but also some very slow ones.

To keep you secure and private on your digital poker table, IPVanish uses AES-256 and ChaCha20 encryption and an audited no-logs policy. The service runs a mix of RAM-only and HDD (hard disk drive) servers, which is not ideal. Although IPVanish is based in the United States, a member of the 5-Eyes alliance, independent audits validating its no-logs policy make this less concerning than it would have been without the audits.

IPVanish security features

• SOCKS5 Proxy — Get an even faster connection but lose encryption.
• DNS and IPv6 Leak Protection
• Kill Switch
• Scramble feature — Scrambles (obfuscates) OpenVPN traffic for regions where VPN traffic might be prohibited.
• Split Tunneling

See all IPVanish features here >

This is VPN is a good option if you want to play poker on multiple devices, as IPVanish supports pretty much every VPN-friendly platform. Router installation is also available. Aside from being very affordable, IPVanish will allow you to hold unlimited simultaneous connections.

If you encounter difficulties, just contact its 24/7 live chat customer service team. An annual subscription makes you eligible for a 30-day money-back guarantee.

For more insights, we recommend reading this IPVanish review.

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Benefits of using a VPN for poker

Subscribing to a premium VPN service will profoundly impact your privacy, security, and online freedom. Here are our most important reasons to use one:

• Protection from hackers — High-end VPN apps for poker utilize advanced encryption and VPN protocols to protect your private information, like credit card data. They will also stop all hacking attempts dead in their tracks. These services also provide many leak protection tools, a kill switch, and split tunneling.
• Access to blocked poker websites — Poker and gambling, in general, are prohibited or heavily controlled in many countries and US states. A VPN allows you to connect to a foreign server and fool the algorithms into thinking you are physically located in another country.
• Remain private — Premium VPNs come with advanced features that will allow you to play online poker while also preserving your identity.
• Better connection — Your ISP may slow down your speed if it concludes that you are using a lot of bandwidth. You can prevent this by using obfuscation on your VPN, which will hide your internet traffic.

Criteria for finding ultimate poker VPN

Determining which VPN services provide everything you need for securely playing poker online can be challenging. We have decided to make this easy by providing a definitive list of features that you should be looking for:

• Worldwide server network — We focused on premium VPNs with healthy networks and thousands of servers in key locations around the globe. This way, you will easily find an optimized connection that allows you to play online poker without restrictions. For example, each VPN on this list has many servers in New York, one of the best gambling US states.
• No-logs policy & RAM-only servers — No-log VPNs won't gather your sensitive information, keeping you private at all times. Many of them also use RAM servers, which are wiped out every time they restart.
• Cross-platform support — Best services will provide apps that are compatible with all VPN-friendly devices.
• Secures your whole network — We looked for high-end VPNs for multiple devices, as they allow you to create many simultaneous connections. Ideally, you will be able to protect your entire home network with a single subscription.
• High-end VPN protocols — Every service we have mentioned relies on advanced protocols to provide fast and secure connections. Depending on your VPN, this will be WireGuard, NordLynx, or Lightway.
• Reasonably priced — We made sure that all our recommended poker VPNs come with an affordable annual subscription and contain many advanced features that will improve your online experience.

Improving your poker VPN

While these VPNs work great without any adjustments, we recommend some tips to improve your security and connection quality further. After all, who doesn’t want additional security when it comes to money? You should always make sure to:

• Make sure your VPN is updated — Hackers will always try to find a weak point in security to capitalize on. Keeping your VPN updated ensures any such exploits are fixed and could also further optimize your speed.
• Always use the best VPN protocols —This guide includes services with exceptional protocols, such as Lightway, WireGuard, or NordLynx. They offer the best connection and military-grade encryption, so you should always use them over any other protocol.
• Turn on all security features — As with any activity involving money, playing online poker carries financial risks. Your kill switch and any leak protection features should always be on while playing. For additional security, you can also use split tunneling to make a secure tunnel for accessing gambling websites.

To get the best protection while playing poker online, use NordVPN.

How to stay safe while playing poker with a VPN

• Use popular poker sites — It's important to check to see if the website you want to bet on has a valid license. This will tell you that it is operating legally and has security methods in place to protect its users. You should also ensure that the poker site's customer support is readily available.
• Don't withdraw large amount of money — This is risky as it can trigger KYC verification, which will require you to reveal your identity. In the worst case, your account may get frozen.
• Pay anonymously — Look for websites that allow you to play poker with cryptocurrency, as this doesn't require you to reveal your identity. Some of the most popular sites are Stake, BetFury, and Bombastic.

Where to play online poker?

Since online gambling is restricted in many countries, it is crucial to know local regulations. If you are located in or near Europe, you will want to use a VPN server in one of these countries:

• Spain
• The Netherlands
• France
• Italy
• UK

Things are equally tricky if you want to use US VPN servers, since playing online poker is legal in 19 US States.

• California
• Delaware
• Florida
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Michigan
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New York
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• West Virginia

By the way, it is also completely legal to use VPN in all locations we've mentioned.

Fixing poker VPN technical difficulties

You may experience technical difficulties even while using premium VPNs. So, it would be smart to learn how to solve the most common problems. That way, you can quickly get back to playing poker without waiting on customer support.

1. Unable to connect to a VPN server

If you are on the PC and can't join a VPN server, the problem likely lies in your firewall. To test out this theory, you’ll just have to temporarily disable it and try connecting to a new VPN server. If that works, you’ll have to make a firewall exception for your VPN before you can use it to play Poker. Since the process varies depending on numerous factors, you will want to check the documentation for your computer or other device to learn how this is done for your specific setup.

Mac users can solve this by following Apple's firewall guide.

2. The VPN’s IP address isn’t working

This means that your real IP address is leaking. A good first step is to go to VPN’s Settings and enable all Leak Protection features. Disable all background applications you don't need, as they can accidentally show your real location.

Next, you will want to remove your browser’s tracking cookies. They are used to generate ads tailored to your preferences, so they are closely tied to your identity. Clearing your cookies and cache is simple, but the process varies for each browser. You can follow these guides for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge.

Why you should avoid free VPNs for online poker

You do not want to use free VPNs to play online poker. The number of reasons for this is legion:

• Lack of reliability — Free VPNs are often unreliable and cause more problems than they solve.
• Inability to bypass restrictions — Poker sites use advanced geo-blocking, so many free services get blocked right at the start.

• Outdated protocols — Free VPNs use old, less secure protocols like PPTP, leading to slower speeds and weaker security. Premium VPNs use modern, secure protocols like WireGuard or Lightway for fast, strong connections.
• Limited servers — Poker is restricted in many countries, requiring servers worldwide. Free VPNs have few servers, which are often overcrowded, causing lag, slow speeds, or disconnections.
• Bandwidth caps — Premium services offer unlimited data for endless play. Free ones limit you to a few GB per month, restricting sessions to just a handful.
• Privacy and security risks — Free VPNs pose serious threats beyond connection issues. Studies on hundreds of free mobile VPN apps show that: ~18% lack proper encryption, ~38% contain malware, ~75% include trackers.
• You are the product — Free VPNs often fund themselves by selling your data.

For safe, reliable poker access, choose a paid premium service.

Summary

Online poker websites are restricted or heavily regulated in many countries. However, you can unlock them and start playing cards by using a premium VPN service. It will also keep you anonymous and protect your outgoing data from hackers.

After careful research, we have concluded that NordVPN is the ultimate online poker VPN. It provides industry-leading security and privacy features, along with a multiply-audited no-logs policy, while also being the fastest VPN we have ever tested. Add in its global network of servers with hundreds of servers in countries where you can play online poker and you can see that choosing NordVPN is a winning hand.

Other VPN gambling guides:

• Best VPNs for Gambling Online
• Best VPNs for bet365
• Best VPNs for FanDuel
• Best VPNs for Online Casinos
• Best VPNs for PokerStars
• Best VPNs for PrizePicks
• Best VPNs for Sports Betting
• How to Unblock Stake
• Best VPNs for Stake