Staying Anonymous When Gaming Online – How Incognito Can You Really Go?

The popularity of the online gaming industry has been rising for years, and the development of mobile devices has ensured players can enjoy their favorite titles on the move and at home. Online gaming has significantly improved convenience, but it also means that most players have to provide personal data to some extent.

Signing up for online gaming accounts, downloading apps, and making online purchases typically requires players to surrender personal and sensitive information, and modern consumers are rightly becoming wary about the data they give up.

This has seen a rise in players exploring anonymous ways to play games online, with no-verification games a popular option for bettors in states without licensed betting operators. Online gambling expert Frida M’Nyang explains that the fragmented nature of the gambling industry in the US has resulted in just seven states offering licensed online games.

Consumers in other states can explore offshore alternatives, and no-verification options afford greater anonymity and allow players to enjoy a variety of betting markets without sending sensitive data abroad. (Source: https://www.escapistmagazine.com/guides/no-kyc-casinos/)

Why Anonymity is Important for Modern Gamers

While most consumers will surrender to the inevitability of having to provide information to online operators, there are those who are keen to explore ways to keep their details anonymous for a variety of reasons.

Security

Modern consumers are acutely aware of online security threats, with cyber criminals exploring sophisticated technologies to access sites, intercept communications, and scam players. While sites work hard to ensure their defenses against hackers are secure, there is always the risk that personal information can still be accessed.

Most consumers will go to great lengths to protect their data and mitigate the risk of theft via multi-factor authorization, strong passwords, and security software, but the best way to keep personal data secure is by minimizing where it is available.

Exploring anonymous gaming opportunities can help players enjoy the top gaming titles without the fear that their personal details could be compromised if the site is hacked.

Access

Anonymity can also improve access to geo-restricted content, providing access to fun and exciting game titles and gambling experiences.

Freedom of Expression and Avoiding Toxicity

The benefits of the internet are too many to mention, but there are also downsides, including rising toxicity. Game operators work tirelessly to weed out trolls and other players who can become abusive, but it is not always easy. Playing anonymously can help players avoid being targeted, letting them enjoy hassle-free gameplay.

Similarly, anonymous gaming can allow players to express themselves more freely without the fear of ridicule. This can be a massive boost for people who struggle to express themselves in day-to-day life.

How Players Enjoy Online Anonymity While Gaming

Online anonymity is not always easy, with many sites requiring details for regulatory reasons. Making traditional payments also results in players providing bank or card details, as well as personal information to confirm they are who they say they are.

There are some ways that consumers can minimize the data they have to provide and enjoy improved anonymity while gaming.

Make Payments with Crypto

The vast majority of gaming sites will require players to make some form of payment, and the most popular way to do this is via card payments or third-party payment platforms like Apple Pay and PayPal. Unfortunately, players typically have to provide the operator with enough information to minimize the risk of fraudulent transactions.

While this is a good thing in terms of security, it means that customers have to trust the operators to securely store their information. However, crypto payments are growing in popularity because of the benefits they offer, including improved security and anonymity.

Peer-to-peer crypto transactions remove the need for third parties like banks to get involved. This can reduce costs but also facilitates anonymous payments. Crypto and game sites that accept crypto payments are more common thanks to the growing adoption rates and political backing of cryptocurrencies.

Make Use of Privacy Settings and Aliases

While players may have to provide details during the registration process, it is possible to set privacy settings on most sites so details are not visible. Most gaming sites require players to come up with a username rather than using their real name, and this can also improve anonymity for the player.

Players can also choose who their information is shared with, limiting the amount of marketing they get, as well as limiting data analysis from sites and third parties.

While the operator will likely hold some information, the player has greater control over what is visible to other players and what can be used for marketing or shared with partners.

Use VPNs

VPNs (virtual private networks) can be used by consumers to establish point-to-point tunnels, which encrypt data and mask the user’s IP address. 

Users might choose to invest in a VPN to bypass surveillance or censorship depending on their location. Making it easier to move freely across sites and circumvent firewalls. VPNs disguise the user’s server location, making it appear that they are in a specific location that has access to different content.

VPNs can also be used to prevent your browsing history being tracked and logged by internet service providers. This data can be sold on to third parties to be used for advertising or stored, increasing the vulnerability of consumers. Users can enjoy improved security from anonymous browsing, with VPNs scrambling data which is unreadable to anyone that intercepts it without an encryption key.

Conclusion

Complete online anonymity can be challenging for online gamers, with account setups and payment details typically requiring some level of information. Even no-KYC games that accept cryptocurrencies will often require some form of identification if they are paying out large sums.

Despite this, consumers can still enjoy some level of privacy and anonymity by using sites that limit the information they need, and implementing other technologies to mask their identities. Making the most of privacy settings and VPNs can make a massive difference to the information available to other players and potential cyber criminals.