How often must a betting app re-check a player’s location

Definition

How often must a betting app re-check a player’s location?

It depends on the state: several, including Maine, Pennsylvania and Connecticut, require a check before the first wager and again at least every 20 minutes, or every 5 minutes within a mile of the border, while others such as Colorado and New Jersey set the triggers but leave the interval to the operator’s approved plan.

The common pattern

The rules share a pattern: a check before the first wager, a re-check on a timer that tightens near the border, a faster schedule for players who are moving, and a fresh check whenever the IP address changes.

State	Static connection	Moving connection	IP change
Maine	Every 20 minutes, or 5 within 1 mile of the border	Based on distance to the border at an assumed 65 mph, never over 20 minutes	Check before the next wager
Pennsylvania (iGaming)	Every 20 minutes, or 5 within 1 mile of the border	Based on distance to the border at an assumed 65 mph	Not stated in this section
Connecticut	Every 20 minutes, or 5 within 1 mile of the border	Based on distance at an assumed 70 mph, never over 20 minutes	Check immediately
Colorado	Before the first wager; periodic checks in longer sessions	No fixed interval stated	Check immediately
New Jersey (iGaming)	At login and as often as the operator’s approved submission specifies	Per approved submission	Not stated in this section

Sources: Maine 16-633 C.M.R. ch. 62, Pennsylvania Technical Standards §809b.7, Conn. Agencies Regs. §12-865-9, Colorado SB Industry Bulletin 3, N.J.A.C. 13:69O-1.2(e). Checked 16 October 2026. Rules change; read the current text before relying on it. Not legal advice.

Why the border matters

A player a mile from a state line can cross it in about a minute at highway speed. Maine’s rule reads: “Static connections: recheck at least every twenty (20) minutes or five (5) minutes if within one (1) mile of the border.” Maine also allows an immediate re-check when a player briefly cannot be located, up to five within five minutes, after which wagering must stop.

What frequent checks cost

Every re-check is a chance to fail a genuine player. See why location checks fail. A check that runs passively, without a prompt or a plugin, lets an operator re-check often without interrupting the player. Octet runs inside the operator’s app and returns a signed verdict for each check, so each wager can carry its own proof. See in-process geolocation.