A Sweeping Alliance
High 5 Casino is no stranger to the changing sweepstakes landscape, and now it’s making a major move to stay ahead of the curve. The b just announced a new partnership with Xpoint, a geolocation tech firm that specializes in helping gambling platforms limit access based on location.
The goal is to keep games running only in states that still allow sweepstakes casinos, and block users from those that don’t.
“Our players trust us not only to entertain them but to protect them,” said Gino Fratto, High 5 Casino’s VP of Product. “That includes only allowing gameplay from eligible locations.”
He added that the company chose Xpoint after “extensive due diligence” because of their “deep expertise, industry leadership, and responsiveness.”
What Xpoint Brings to the Table
Xpoint’s system, which is already being used by names like bet365, PrizePicks, and PlayStar, relies a mix of device signals and sensors to figure out exactly where a player is logging in from. It’s built to spot spoofing tools, like VPNs or GPS tampering, and to flag suspicious patterns in real time.
For High 5, that means being able to instantly cut off access in states where sweepstakes platforms are no longer welcome.
The Legal Lines Keep Moving
This partnership isn’t just a tech upgrade, it’s a survival strategy. In the last year, states have been shutting down sweepstakes and social casinos at a rapid pace. High 5 has already shut down its sweeps product in six states where legal online casinos operate, and currently blocks access in 15 states and Canada.
And it’s not just operators that are facing the heat anymore. States like California and New York have started drafting bills that go after platform partners too, like payment processors, content suppliers, and even geolocation providers like Xpoint.
“We were excited by the opportunity to help a social casino leader comply with state regulations,” said Manu Gambhir, CEO of Xpoint. “Our platform helps identify if location fraud is taking place, so operators can stay compliant as rules change.”
Why It Matters
High 5 isn’t just trying to avoid legal trouble, it’s trying to lead by example. Fratto says geolocation shouldn’t be a workaround or a last-minute patch. It should be an integral part of how these platforms work.
“After extensive due diligence, we chose to partner with Xpoint because of their deep expertise, industry leadership, and responsiveness,” Fratto said. “We hope other operators follow our lead.”
In today’s regulatory climate, that’s not just PR talk. More and more, states are expecting real-time compliance, and companies that don’t adapt fast enough are being hit with cease-and-desist orders, investigations, and even possible felony charges.
High 5 knows this firsthand, as it’s one of several operators that’s already received C&D notices in multiple states this year.
What’s Next for the Industry?
The partnership between High 5 and Xpoint could set a new standard in the sweepstakes world. While some platforms are doubling down or fighting lawsuits, High 5 is showing that adapting to the law, and building around it, might be the smarter long game.
As state lawmakers get more aggressive and regulators take aim at not just games, but the entire supply chain, expect to see more operators asking the same question:
If we don’t get compliance right now, how long do we have left?
Blaise Luis
