Posted on: May 6, 2024, 08:01h.
Last updated on: May 4, 2024, 12:13h.
GeoComply has a near-monopoly on iGaming and online sports betting geolocation services in the highly regulated U.S. gaming industry, but a new collaboration threatens to disrupt that control.
Casino.org in October reported that Radar, a New York-based tech firm that provides retail businesses and restaurants like Dick’s Sporting Goods, Panera, and Dairy Queen with customer location services, was planning an iGaming and online sports gambling entry. That entry officially came today, with Radar announcing a partnership with Integrity Compliance 360 (IC360), which was recently formed through the merging of U.S. Integrity and Odds on Compliance.
Collaborating with IC360 presents an exciting opportunity to leverage our expertise in geolocation with IC360’s strong position as a leader in sports wagering and iGaming regulatory technology. Together, we will unlock new possibilities for businesses seeking to harness the power of location data to drive growth and innovation,” said Nick Patrick, Radar CEO.
Radar reps told Casino.org on Monday that the partnership will result in the rollout of a geolocation product called “Geo360 Powered by Radar.” The business-to-business service will assist online casinos and sportsbooks in pinpointing the precise location of a player’s request to bet via the internet before facilitating the wager.
GeoComply Stronghold
Online gambling expanded rapidly in the U.S. following the Supreme Court’s May 2018 decision that a federal ban that had limited single-game sports betting to Nevada ran afoul of the U.S. Constitution.
While legal online slot machines and table games remain limited to only seven states — Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia — legal online sports betting is operational in 30 states and Washington, D.C. GeoComply currently handles the bulk of the geolocation detection services on those operators’ behalf.
A key pillar of online gaming regulation is that operators ensure that only people of legal gambling age who are physically located within a state where iGaming and/or online sports wagering is permitted have access to the internet apps and platforms.
GeoComply’s proprietary service PinPoint can reportedly isolate an online gambler’s physical location down to four feet. PinPoint uses Wi-Fi, GPS, and cellphone tower signals to isolate an online user. GeoComply says the data is then run through over 200 checks to ensure that the location information isn’t being spoofed or manipulated to gain unlawful access.
Market Competition
Radar and IC360 believe they have developed similar geofencing capabilities with Geo360 Powered by Radar. The entities think their forthcoming service is supreme to GeoComply because it integrates integrity monitoring services.
This partnership represents a significant step forward in our mission to offer a one-stop solution for the industry’s regulatory compliance technology services,” said Matt Holt IC360 CEO. “By combining our existing products and industry expertise with Radar’s advanced geolocation capabilities, we are poised to deliver unmatched value to our clients.”
Disrupting GeoComply’s stronghold, however, will be no easy feat.
The company currently counts the iGaming and sports betting leaders as clients, including DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM. GeoComply says its geolocation technology is installed on more than 400 million devices worldwide and handles over a billion geolocation transactions a month.