Answer
Location requests in betting apps
Betting apps may ask for your location to confirm you are in a place the operator is licensed to serve. App stores expect real-money gambling apps to be tied to licensed territory; we have not yet checked the exact Apple and Google wording. You can allow, refuse or limit location in Settings on iPhone and Android.
Editorial team · checked
Why the request appears
- The licence is territorial. A GRAI licence covers betting offered to people in Ireland (s.67(1)).
- The stores set conditions. Apple and Google policies on real-money gambling apps: wording Not checked.
- The operator explains it. Its help pages and privacy policy say how location is used. Not checked.
The request is a condition of use set by the operator and the store, not by this site.
In short: location answers one question: is this customer inside the licensed territory?
What each choice means
| Choice | What it means | Effect on betting |
|---|---|---|
| Refuse | The app gets no location | Not checked: may block betting or limit the app |
| Only while using the app | Location is shared while the app is open | Not checked per operator |
| Precise or approximate | iPhone: Precise Location switch. Android: precise location option | Whether operators need the precise setting: Not checked |
In short: a refusal is yours to make; its effect is the operator's to state.
Change the permission
- iPhone: Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > the app. Pick Never, Ask Next Time Or When I Share, While Using the App or Always, as offered.
- Android: Settings > Apps > the app > Permissions > Location. Pick the option offered: allow all the time, only while using the app, ask every time or don't allow.
- Reopen the app and note what changed. Write down the date and the setting you chose.
Option names vary by system version. Not checked on the day.
In short: you can change the choice at any time without touching your account.
What a location request does not tell you
- It does not show that the operator is licensed. Use the register check for that.
- It does not cover travel. For abroad, see using an Irish app abroad.
- It does not set how the data are kept. The operator's privacy policy does; the DPC supervises data protection.
In short: location is one input to the operator's checks, not a sign of a licence.
How we checked
Sources: the Gambling Regulation Act 2024 (s.67(1)) for the territorial point.
The Settings paths for location are written from general knowledge of the menus; re-read them against Apple and Google help. Not read: Apple's and Google's gambling-app policies, any operator's help page or privacy policy.
What changed
7 November 2026: first version of this page.
Caveats
The effect of refusal differs by operator and is unrecorded. We give no view on which setting to choose.
18+ only. Free 24/7 support: 1800 936 725 · gamblingcare.ie. More on responsible gambling.
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