• Sports Betting

Betting While Traveling – Why IP Changes Get You Flagged

You’re on a business trip in Chicago, where you learn that the star player for the upcoming Bears game has the flu. When you get back to your hotel, you decide to log in to your sportsbook to place a bet on the upcoming game, only to discover that your account is now restricted. You can’t place bets, and now the sportsbook is asking you to verify your account.

Sadly, this type of situation happens to many online bettors when they travel. When you gamble online while traveling, your activity raises suspicion with your sportsbook. Changes in your physical location and IP address often trigger security protocols that block fraudulent activity. In this guide, we will look at activities that can trigger red flags with your sportsbook and steps you can take to prevent your account from being restricted when you travel.

Why Sportsbooks Care So Much About IP Consistency

While logging into your account and betting while traveling may seem harmless, sportsbooks view it as a red flag because they track betting activity using your IP address. 

Sportsbooks use your IP address to determine several things. These include:

• If you are the owner of your account
• If you are betting from an approved and legal jurisdiction
• Whether your betting behavior is normal.

Your IP address helps the sportsbook establish betting patterns. When you’re consistently logging into a website from the same IP address, computer, and physical location, this looks like normal behavior. If any of these change, sportsbook security checks may be initiated. 

Some of the concerns from the sportsbook include:

• Fraud and account takeovers
• Multi-accounting
• Account sharing
• Location-based regulatory violations

Betting laws vary by state and country, and many sportsbooks are legally required to restrict access in certain locations. For example, if your sportsbook is not licensed in Illinois, you cannot bet from Chicago, even if your account is registered in a licensed state. 

The good news is that if you trigger a security violation, this doesn’t mean that you’re permanently banned from the sportsbook. But it does mean you might have to jump through a few hoops until you’ve resolved the issue.

How Travel Creates Suspicious Betting Patterns

While it shouldn’t be a big deal to gamble online while traveling, you have to remember that your activity is being monitored by computer algorithms rather than humans. Algorithms don’t account for personal travel and only rely on raw data to make decisions.

Here are some of the things that will look suspicious to computer algorithms:

Location Changes – Moving from one state to another or one country to another.

Switching Devices – Logging in from more than one device on the same day, particularly if one of those logins is from a different location

Time Zone Shifts – This can impact betting patterns, particularly if you’re moving over multiple time zones.

Irregular Betting Hours – When you travel, you may not bet the same hours you normally do, especially if you’re in another time zone.

Multiple Networks – Logging in from multiple networks in a day.

Here’s what happened to me one time when I had my online gambling account flagged. I live in Virginia and have often traveled to California. I leave Virginia and fly to Atlanta, and then to LAX in Los Angeles. It would not be unusual for me to log into a casino from each of those airports during a layover. After I get to California, I might log in at my hotel. 

That would look normal to you and me. However, my account got locked due to suspicious activity. In my scenario, the final login in California resulted in an account lock as my casino was not licensed there.

IP Address vs Device vs Location: What Actually Gets Flagged

While your IP address is a key factor sportsbooks use to track your activity, it’s just one element. Your physical location, device fingerprint, and betting patterns are also analyzed in security checks.

Let’s take a closer look at each:

Common Travel Scenarios That Trigger Flags

Let’s look at common travel scenarios that often get online betting accounts flagged. 

Betting on Airport Wi-Fi

Airports typically offer unrestricted shared wi-fi networks, which can be dangerous in themselves. Some networks may reroute data traffic through other areas, causing your IP address to not match your physical location.

Logging in Immediately After Landing

Logging into a sportsbook right after landing will result in a drastic location change. For example, going from Atlanta to California takes three hours. This change will likely result in a violation.

Using Hotel Networks

Hotel networks often use shared IP addresses, which are used by hundreds of guests daily. If two people were to log into a sportsbook from the same hotel, they may even have the same IP address or one so similar that it appears they are in the same room. 

Switching Between Mobile Data and Wi-Fi

Switching between mobile data and Wi-Fi while traveling may result in your account being flagged, as it looks like multiple people are logging in on the same device. Also, depending on your mobile network, you may see location mismatches due to the location of your mobile towers.

Crossing Borders With Active Sessions

If you forget to log out while traveling and then opt to continue betting, you’re virtually guaranteed to trigger an account review. Humans can’t teleport, and that’s what it will look like to the algorithm.

Why VPN’s Are Risky While Betting

Some of you might think, why not just use a VPN when traveling? While this may seem smart, it can also result in your account getting flagged. 

VPNs are generally legal to use, but most online casinos and sportsbooks prohibit their use. Check your sportsbook’s terms of service for their VPN policies.

Some reasons that a gambling VPN will raise red flags include:

• Shared IP addresses are used by hundreds or thousands of users.
• IP ranges may already be flagged by the sportsbook.
• Mismatches between GPS data and IP address location
• Commonly associated with fraud and account abuse.

When you use a VPN, a sportsbook will assume you’re deliberately trying to mask your location. You are likely to trigger an account review, and may risk having your account closed. To avoid this, the smart play is to avoid using a VPN.

How to Bet Safely While Traveling

With a little planning, you can avoid triggering an account review while traveling. Here are some ways to reduce your risk.

What Happens When an Account Gets Flagged

If your account happens to get flagged while traveling, don’t panic! This is often a temporary situation that can be resolved, but may require a bit of hoop-jumping. 

Here’s what you can expect:

Betting Limits or Holds – Your sportsbook may limit how much you can wager or may block your ability to wager.

Verification Requests – You may be required to reverify your account. This includes both ID and proof of address verification.

Withdrawal Delays – You may not be able to cash out until sportsbook security checks are complete.

Account Lockouts – In some cases, a sportsbook may lock your account and require you speak with support directly. When available, some may require you call them and speak to them before unlocking your account.

It is important that you be patient in this process and provide proper documentation. In most cases, you can quickly get your account unlocked and go back to playing. However, in some cases, you may be restricted from playing until you return home. 

When You Should Avoid Betting Altogether When Traveling

Sometimes, the smartest play is not to bet at all. Here are some scenarios where you should just avoid betting until you return home:

• Very short trips of 48 hours or less.
• Your only internet options are unstable, such as airport Wi-Fi.
• You’re moving across international borders frequently.
• You’re traveling or crossing state lines where a sportsbook isn’t licensed.
  

It is easier to miss out on placing a few bets than it is to deal with unlocking your account.

Plan Ahead to Safely Bet Online While Traveling

The safest sportsbooks have security protocols in place to prevent fraud and protect players, but travelers are often snared in the protection net. Now that you have some insight into how these protocols work, you can take steps to avoid having your account restricted while traveling.

By planning ahead, avoiding VPNs, and keeping your betting behavior consistent, you can enjoy smooth and stress-free travel and still bet on your favorite sportsbooks and online casinos.