What Each Model Means
Regulated books (DraftKings, Bet365) verify identity at signup — legal requirement, no exceptions. Crypto books under Curacao licenses typically allow instant email signup and crypto play with no documents… until a trigger: large withdrawals, aggregate volume thresholds, suspicious patterns, or restricted-territory flags. Their terms explicitly reserve the right to demand documents before paying.
The Real Risk Profile
The dangerous scenario is winning big at a 'no-KYC' book, then failing or refusing verification — funds freeze, and offshore licensing gives you weak recourse. Using a VPN from a restricted country makes it worse: territory violations are the most commonly enforced confiscation clause in crypto gambling. Privacy from casual data collection is real; immunity from verification is not.
A Rational Approach
If you value low friction: use reputable crypto books with long payout track records, keep balances small, withdraw often, and never breach territory terms. If you're playing meaningful stakes: verify proactively even where optional — locked-in KYC before a big win beats emergency KYC after one. And treat any site with no history and big no-KYC promises as the exit-scam risk it statistically is.