Play Canada – For Their Eyes Only: Geofencing Ensures Only Players In Ontario Will Be Betting
November 20, 2023
For a blast from the past, read this nice article by Katarin Vojvodic for PlayCanada.com.
It explains how geofencing and geolocation compliance are critical for sports betting services that launched in Ontario, Canada under revised regulations opening up the market to third-party gaming platforms.
https://www.playcanada.com/news/geolocation-ensures-only-ontario-players-betting/
Ontario’s expanded online casino and sports betting industry launches in less than three weeks. When it does, provincial bettors will have a nearly unlimited choice of available brands—an embarrassment of riches, really.
So far, PointsBet, theScore Bet, 888, BetRivers, Rivalry, WSOP, LottoGo and Unibet all have approval from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. More licensing announcements will surely follow in the coming days as giants like DraftKings, BetMGM and Bet365 join the fray.
In fact, anyone outside of Ontario still beholden to lottery monopolies might be feeling more than a bit envious (sorry, guys).
But, feeling ‘a way’ about things doesn’t mean we can do anything about them. Of course, you can try, but the odds are stacked against those who attempt to skirt the rules. Because thanks to Know Your Customer protocols and geolocation technology, those beyond Ontario’s borders will find their access to the market be blocked.
So, just what is geolocation anyway?
Geolocation providers, including sports betting operators, gather GPS data from devices and cellular networks to achieve this accuracy. Together, they use the data to either allow or block customers to access particular services depending on their location. Essentially, geolocation is an electronic fence that can keep people in or out based on regulatory requirements.
Geofencing is why, before January 8, New Yorkers had to travel to New Jersey if they wanted to make an online sports bet. Now that sportsbooks are legal in New York, they can place their bets from home. However, they still have to make the trip if they want to access NJ sports betting markets. Otherwise, their GPS data will ensure they’re geofenced out.
Providers also have safeguards to ensure bettors aren’t spoofing their location with an outside VPN. Virtual Private Networks route all internet activity through an encrypted connection, preventing others from seeing what you get up to online and from where you’re doing it.
Contact us to learn more about our geolocation services for gaming and lottery compliance.
