Pennsylvania will soon require a valid government-issued ID for online sports betting.
Lee Copello, director of iGaming compliance for the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, said that by Feb. 28, all existing iGaming and online sports betting users will have to upload photos of the front and back of their ID and complete a “liveness check.”
This can be completed by taking a selfie and recording a video clip when prompted, which will ensure the person’s biometric features match their ID.
New users to the gambling sites had to complete this identification process starting on Sept. 30 when registering for an account, Copello said.
All platforms regulated by the control board are included — like DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM and more, according to Copello.
Though some individual platforms require a valid ID to be uploaded, Pennsylvania’s new rules mark the first time it’s being state regulated, he said.
Copello said the rules were shared directly with the industry in January, rather than made public, to help prevent fraud.
“Prior to this, we met with other regulators … to get best industry practices,” he said. “The bad actors were finding ways around the old practice.”
With new ID requirements, Copello said the goal was to leverage new technology available to better authenticate players signing up, keep patrons safe and enhance account security.
“If you create the account in Pennsylvania, you have to comply,” he said.
Even for players traveling from out of state who have created their account in a different state, they must go through the ID validation process to place a bet within Pennsylvania, according to Copello.