US law
Betting While Traveling
Only place sports bets in a state where it is legal for patrons to bet. Travelers are often surprised to realize that the sportsbook account works in the state they are visiting.
Bettors can use the sportsbook of their choice, whether at home or on the road, but only if that operator is licensed in the state where the wager is placed. Geolocation technology determines the physical location of the bettor at the time of each wager and enforces state-by-state licensing and access rules.
Physical Location Controls Legality
Sports betting is legal in some form in 39 states, plus Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, allow sports betting in some form. But legal access follows the bettor's current location, not their home address or where the account was opened. Geolocation technology in each sportsbook app or site checks the user's exact location at the time of each wager, gaining access only if licensing allows.1,2
This means a bettor can use a statewide licensed operator no matter which state they live in, as long as they are physically present in that operator's licensed state. Conversely, try to place a wager from a non-legal state, and the app will prevent the activity and show a message.1
Same Account, Different States
The sportsbook itself only cares about where you are placing the bet and not the state the bettor lives in. This means a bettor can use the same sportsbook account at home and on the road, provided the operator is licensed in the state being visited. If the operator is not licensed in that state, wagering through that sportsbook is blocked during the visit.3,4
Therefore, bettors who primarily live in a state without legal sports betting can make one account with a major operator, providing accessibility in many destinations.3
Finding an account that works at most destinations only requires choosing the right operator at setup.
What Still Works When Wagering Does Not
Just because wagering is blocked in a non-legal state does not mean the entire account is locked out. Travelers still can view their record, join forums, watch sports and view odds from a banned state. Account balances and betting history are preserved and still accessible, even if wagering is blocked by the location.
Some operators may allow deposits to preserve an account balance for later use, only blocking future wagers until the bettor returns to legal waters.5
How Common This Setup Is
Betting apps hinge on geolocation to check where you are at the time of each wager, thus enforcement follows your exact location, not your home state. Virtually all current states with legal sports betting operate in this fashion.
Even the most popular operators span 20 or more states, meaning bettors can open a single account at one of a handful of on-line services and have it work most anywhere they travel.3