With sports betting enjoying a surge in popularity across the United States, it is hardly a surprise that there are a number of different betting apps to have made an appearance on respective app stores that can be downloaded.
Naturally, with the entire country not quite fully permitting iGaming activities just yet, there will be some questions about the legality of these apps and whether or not they can be used. The answer can be quite simple, although there are a number of different things that will need to be considered.
Are sports betting apps legal in the US?
The question about whether sports betting apps are legal to download and use within the United States of America is one that can have multiple different answers, simply because it will depend on which state that it is being used in.
For instance, for punters who are situated in the city of Phoenix, they can use Unibet’s legal Arizona sports betting app without any concerns, as the state has made participating in iGaming activities fully legal. However, if an individual had wished to do the exact same thing in California, then they would not be permitted to do so as legislation is yet to be brought in, although change could be on the horizon in the “Golden State” in the very near future.
Indeed, with the rules and legislations determined by each separate state, it is incredibly important to find out whether the use of a sports betting app is legal within the area that a person finds themselves in.
Will a sports betting app know where a bettor is located?
Naturally, the developers of the sports betting apps that have been made available will use technologies including geolocators for a variety of reasons. One reason will be to ensure the member is provided with the right type of bet based on their location, whilst others could include the type of promotion etc.
However, the main reason that geolocation technology has been adopted is to ensure that players who decide to use the app are actually located inside a state that allows them to participate in sports betting and online casino wagering activities. This saves people the hassle of changing account details, whilst it can also protect illicit wagering activities, such as betting from a region where it is not permitted.
This means bettors are able to access the service whenever they are located in a state where sports betting is legal, as well, thus allowing members to continue to receive the most convenient gambling experiences where possible whilst using the app that has been downloaded.
Does this mean the sports betting app can be located in other states?
As highlighted previously, as long as a user is located within a state where iGaming activities are permitted, they will be able to access the sports betting app of their choice and be able to do all of the things that they wish to do just the same as they were to do it if they were in their original state.
One example where this scenario might present itself is when individuals are required to go to another state for work, travel or even visiting family. As long as they head to another state that allows for online betting, they will have no problem accessing their favorite app and placing a wager on the sports that are taking place throughout the duration of their stay in a different region.
Is there a way to get around restrictions?
Of course, if a member is to enter a state that does not permit online wagering within its borders, there are a number of VPNs that are available to utilize that can help them to bypass any restrictions that may be encountered.
This tool will change the user’s internet location and throw the geolocation technology utilized out of sync, which will then allow members to access the services they wish to use. Using a VPN can also be a great way to ensure that an added layer of security is provided as the internet connection will be encrypted, thus being anonymous and harder to hack into, which is a bonus despite the fact that sports betting apps are already extremely secure and safe to use!