How location plays a major role in your online gambling experience

While choosing to play at online casinos comes with plenty of advantages, particularly for those living in rural areas away from the bright lights of brick-and-mortar venues, you may not be aware that where you live still matters.

Any and all gaming sites you visit will offer bonuses for those about to sign up as well as a series of regular promotions for loyal players, but many of these are shaped by local and national jurisdiction, and licensing authorities within the territory the user is logging in from.

A site may, for example, offer users in some regions x number of free spins but may only be able to grant a number of spins in others – or the qualifying bet, or deposit, may be different, or the bonus may be limited to different games.

These geographical differences are certainly true within the US where the laws on online gambling vary from state to state. Regular casino gamers and sports bettors will already be aware that certain bonuses, or the ability to bet whatsoever, greatly depends on their location.

Until recently, a Kansas City Chiefs fan living in Kansas could place a bet on their team to win before heading to the game, but upon reaching Arrowhead Stadium – just over the border in Missouri – that would’ve become an illegal activity!

This isn’t the only way in which your whereabouts can affect your online gaming session, however. Upon logging on to a site, the choice (and number of) games available to you may be different for you than someone on the other side of a state or national border. Those with the biggest libraries tend to be those who have secured licensing from global gaming bodies, and will feature the most well-known titles from the best game developers around.

Not all payment methods are accepted everywhere

The same goes for payment methods. While most major credit and debit cards, and e-wallets, are universal, the odd one or two may not be accepted by local authorities depending on financial regulations and banking relationships in the region.

Cryptocurrencies remain a divisive issue, however. Some countries around the world have fully embraced them, while others have outright banned them or currently only allow their usage for certain types of payments – and gaming may not be one of those.

VIP treatment and customer service

Location can also drastically alter the experience for VIP and high-stakes players, with some local regulations limiting the scale of bonuses and rewards in a bid to reduce potential problem gambling. 

Meanwhile, some regions impose stricter requirements on customer service and responsible gambling tools – such as necessitating 24/7 availability through certain support channels and/or making features such as deposit and wager limits, time-outs and self-exclusions mandatory.

Players may also notice differences after securing some winnings. There could be a tax imposed on your withdrawal, for example. 

Final thoughts

The key takeaway here is that players should always read a casino or sportsbook’s terms and conditions so they know what they’re signing up to and be aware of where they’re trying to play from, especially if travelling. That way players can be sure of the bonuses they’ll receive, the games they can access, and the payment methods they can use.