Preface

—— Breaking news, on July 29th, 2024, the Indonesian government announced measures to eradicate domestic online gambling by blocking internet access from Cambodia and the Philippines. Minister of Communications Usman noted that these two countries were chosen as they host a large number of online gambling websites that penetrate Indonesia. Minister Usman also stated that, depending on the urgency and necessity, the government would consider expanding the scope of the blockade.

With similar national bans emerging frequently, how should we respond to such governmental interventions in blocking offshore gambling services via internet censors? —— Follow me to find out.

The Global Stance on Online Gambling Industries

The online gambling industry faces varying attitudes from governments worldwide. Some countries, like the UK and Malta, actively promote online gambling to increase tax revenues, managing control and profit through legalization and strict regulation. However, some countries are markedly opposed to online gambling, such as Indonesia and China, attempting to completely eliminate these activities through legislation and technological means.

In the face of these opposing policies, there is still market potential, but blocking measures are continuously escalating. To circumvent these firewalls and maintain website access, certain technological methods have become key.

Solutions

User Side

This section will discuss methods for users to bypass internet blocks, requiring users to have a basic understanding and concept.

Using VPNs and Network Proxies

Users can access sites by proxying their own network using VPNs or network proxy tools. A VPN encrypts user data and routes it through servers located in other countries, bypassing local internet blockades. Popular and reliable VPN services include ExpressVPN and NordVPN.

Proxy servers, similar to VPNs but positioned between the user and the target website, can hide the user's real IP address, allowing the circumvention of network blocks.

This method requires users to prepare their own network proxy tools or VPNs. Although not widely popular initially amongst local users, time and educational campaigns on popular social media platforms can further promote this method.

Using the Tor Browser

The Tor browser, based on onion routing technology, enhances anonymity and privacy by routing data through multiple relay points, effectively bypassing most network blocks. However, due to its high anonymity, loading times might be slower. The user experience with the Tor browser can vary significantly based on different network environments and is not recommended for everyone.

Editing the Hosts File

Sometimes, internet blocks are only at the DNS level. By modifying the Hosts file on their device to resolve a website's domain name to its real IP address, users can bypass this type of block. However, this requires knowing the website's actual IP address, and its effectiveness is limited for websites with dynamic IPs.

Enterprise Side

This section discusses various methods for enterprises to bypass internet censorship at the network layer.

DNS Encryption

Using DNS encryption (like DNS over HTTPS or DNS over TLS) can prevent local ISPs from inspecting and filtering DNS requests, thereby bypassing network blocks. Users may configure devices or routers with DNS servers that support encryption, such as Google DNS or Cloudflare DNS.

However, DNS encryption does not fully solve the problem, as government firewalls often extend beyond DNS to include IP blocks. DNS encryption is an excellent option if DNS blocking is the only measure.

Reverse Proxy (Recommended Solution)

A reverse proxy is a server that accepts client requests from the internet and forwards them to the backend servers for processing. It then returns the responses from the backend to the clients. Reverse proxies can hide the existence and structure of backend servers, providing load balancing, security, and privacy. By employing a reverse proxy, websites can circumnavigate firewall restrictions and ensure continuity of access.

For instance, in Indonesia's recent internet blockade against Cambodian and Filipino online gambling websites, purchasing a local cloud server to act as a reverse proxy would keep Indonesian DNS routes directed to our local server. Adding DNS encryption as previously mentioned, we can ensure normal access.

However, it's crucial to overcome the network blocks that the reverse proxy server might face in Indonesia; but for technical personnel, this challenge might be considered easy. Some of the user-side solutions mentioned above can also be applied here.

Moreover, even though the proxy server is in Indonesia, there's a chance that local server access might be banned. Hence, monitoring measures are necessary to keep website access smooth. If your proxy server uses cloud services, you will conveniently have the ability to change server IPs, even automating this process with monitoring systems and cloud service APIs, thus avoiding bans using Dynamic DNS (DDNS) technology.

This approach does not require any user action to maintain the network's regular access, proving to be an excellent method not only to retain customers but also to strengthen the core competitive position in the market. For such tech-service costs, PASA believes it's worth it!

Conclusion

With increasingly stringent blocking measures in certain markets, both users and enterprises must employ flexible technical methods to bypass these restrictions and ensure the continued operation of businesses like online gambling. Tools such as VPNs, proxy servers, and the Tor browser enable effective circumvention of local internet blockades. For enterprises, technologies like DNS encryption, reverse proxies, and dynamic DNS allow websites to be accessible without affecting user experience.

Particularly, reverse proxies are highly recommended; they not only conceal backend servers and provide load balancing and security but also enable bypassing network blocks. Alongside Dynamic DNS and monitoring systems, they can further enhance network stability and availability.

In practice, enterprises should use a combination of various technologies based on specific situations to ensure smooth network connectivity and ongoing business development. By being adaptable and quickly adjusting, your product can stand out in the market and gain a significant competitive edge.