Online sports betting is legal in 29 states. North Carolina makes that number 30 in March.
That leaves hundreds of millions of Americans without access to legal sportsbooks. Inevitably, some try to make bets at legal sites in states where it is illegal. None are successful. There is a reason for that.
Some players try to make bets on their phones and get blocked by the sportsbook by geolocation technology that recognizes the illegal attempt. Others may know about geolocation and think a VPN is a workaround. Neither way works.
A VPN is not the answer
A VPN disguises a device’s location. Players in a legal state may be able to use a VPN for privacy and still access the site. It may help defeat geolocation on less secure platforms That may work to get around weak country blocks on websites or offshore. However, using a VPN to trick modern geolocation technology is a waste of time.
How geolocation works
There are multiple methods used by geolocation companies like Geocomply. The location of the device’s internet connection is just the beginning. Other checks are used beyond the IP address.
Online sportsbooks use the same technology GPS uses to find your device. Wifi triangulation finds nearby wireless connections. It estimates the distance away from each to pinpoint your location. These devices are mapped by technology companies like Google that collect data driving around neighborhoods.
Geolocation also asks the phone to identify its location. This is done through the GPS and map apps. The device’s exact location is often found when using these methods.
In rural areas, there may not be enough nearby wireless routers to confirm a device’s location matches what the GPS reports. When this happens, call phone triangulation is used. This is not as precise as wifi triangulation. If a bettor is near a state or tribal line, he or she may not get properly located to prevent illegal wagers.
VPNs don’t defeat geolocation
While a VPN may create an IP address in a legal state when it is not, the geolocation check fails when it is not confirmed through a secondary method. Players who make repeat attempts to defeat regulatory location requirements may find their device’s banned as suspicious.
Online casinos and other sites use geolocation
Online sportsbooks are not the only gambling companies that use geolocation. Legal Online casinos use it, too. Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia have legal online casinos. Rhode Island will soon. Each state requires geolocation to comply with regulatory standards.
Horse racing apps work just like online sportsbooks. Since it is illegal in some states, it is imperative to use geolocation to ensure legal compliance. Other examples include state lotteries that sell tickets online and daily fantasy sports sites.
Geolocation prevents fraud
Geolocation protects both players and operators. If someone’s credit card or bank account information is stolen and used on a betting site that uses geolocation, authorities know where to find the criminal. If a bettor makes deposits and later claims fraud, geolocation confirms the original point where the bet is placed. When it is linked to locations where the account holder frequents, including home and work, the scheme will be unsuccessful.
Committing fraud in the regulated market carries consequences
In the old days of offshore online gambling, players could deposit using credit or debit cards and use chargebacks to recover losses. Gambling sites located in countries like Antigua, Costa Rica, Curacao, and Panama could do nothing to recover that money. Those days are over.
There are examples of this helping solve this type of fraud. In 2014, a New Jersey woman claimed that her identity was stolen and used to generate almost $10,000 in online gambling losses. New Jersey regulators used geolocation technology as part of their investigation to determine that the wagers originated at the woman’s home. She was charged with fraud.
What if I don’t live in a state with legal online sports betting and casino sites?
If your state does not have legal betting sites yet, the best thing to do is wait. If you are near the state line where a border state has it, you may create an account and place wagers there. You must drive to that state to make all bets. However, you can deposit and withdraw from the mobile betting app in your home state.
Some states like Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington, and Wisconsin have retail sportsbooks but not mobile ones. You can drive to a casino that offers these. If none of this applies, start lobbying your state lawmakers to let them know where you stand on the issue.
No matter what you do, don’t try to use a VPN to log into a betting site in a different state. At best, your attempt will be unsuccessful. At worst, you can cause problems with your account and device when you are in legal states or it finally comes to yours.
