Sportsbook Geolocation Errors

If you're using a sportsbook app and get a message that you're not in a legal state, don't panic. It's often a device, network, or permission issue—one that can usually be fixed with a quick checklist, not a call to your state legislature. But you need to know what that checklist is.

How the check works

Behind the scenes, sportsbook apps use geolocation technology to confirm you're in a state where wagering is allowed. That's because regulated online sportsbooks can only let you place a bet if your device can be verified as physically inside a permitted state.

GeoComply, a leader in online gaming location verification, uses "advanced geolocation technology" to check that a bettor is really in a permitted area. The company’s tools combine GPS with other signals to place and verify the physical location of each user.

State regulators demand this. For example, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement warns that regulated online wagering requires a player to be physically inside the state borders when placing a bet. Systems must be able to determine and verify the player's location — and close the bet if they move outside.

The most common reasons the app fails

Where things go wrong is in the signals going into that verification system. That's where the errors that plague bettors tend to come in.

The most frequent causes:

• Location settings are turned off on the phone or desktop. Without location permissions on, apps can't get the data they need.
• VPNs or proxy servers are enabled. Sportsbook apps see these as location conflicts and block the bet. GeoComply's desktop troubleshooting says VPN, remote desktop and virtual machines can interfere.
• Hotspot connections are used. BonusFinder advises bettors not to connect through a hotspot.
• The app is outdated and needs to be updated. Out-of-date apps sometimes can't work with the latest location checks.
• Zoom is left running in the background. theScore Bet's help center recommends closing Zoom if it's on at the same time as the geolocation software.
• The user is on a mobile network with an ID that matches a neighbouring location.

Fast fixes on phone and desktop

So how do you fix this? Here's a checklist for nailing down the most common issues:

On mobile:

• Allow location services. Check the phone's location settings to confirm geolocating is enabled.

• Turn the phone off and on — a classic fix for mobile issues.

• Reboot the phone — as if you'd never seen it before. Delete the app, download it again, and see if that does the trick.

• Check for app updates. Take the app for a walk, through the settings, to make sure it has the latest build.

If you've done all that and nothing changed—a wise bettor would turn up the location accuracy on the phone. Most settings have options for trading off battery life and privacy versus smooth operation, so fine-tuning the location dial is worth trying.

On desktop:

Microsoft Answers suggests enabling location services and allowing third-party apps to access location, especially on Windows desktops and laptops.

If the above touches don't work, USGambling's guide nails one more: make sure no VPN or proxy is enabled on the desktop—those inconsistent data signals are a one-way ticket to verification failure.

Why VPNs are a bad idea

VPNs promise a layer of enhanced privacy for online activity, but when it comes to geolocation verification, they can be a problem. That's because these tools can obfuscate the real location data that sports betting operators need to confirm the bet.

Several sources declared that sportsbook users should disable VPNs before starting the app. Microsoft Answers— home to technical Wi-Fi notes—picked up the refrain, noting that VPN software could interfere with geolocation checks.

When the issue is not on the user’s device

But what can you do when the issue isn't your device or settings—when you're doing everything right and it's not working?

One source of trouble could be further up the network stack, beyond the phone or computer. GeoComply said in an October 2020 statement that it encountered an "unexpected network communications error" affecting sportsbook apps. If your issue seems to persist at random, that hints it might not be you.

If troubleshooting doesn't turn up the answer, you might be dealing with a wider network or app-level problem. In that case, contacting the sportsbook's support team for a hand might be the best next step.

If all else fails

If the phone is really in the permitted area, and the player has followed all the updates and settings tips, but still can't get through — this is the time to put the paper out. Sometimes there's a technical glitch, something further up the network stack, beyond the phone or computer. At that point, it's a good idea to contact the sportsbook app's support team and let them know.

In a regulated market, it's the app's responsibility to ensure every bet is placed from an authorized area, and they have to do that to protect both bettors and operators. But in the vast majority of cases, the issue isn't something you'd need to contact them about. More likely, it's a 20-minute checklist.