Credence ID age assurance deployed at U Dayton for NCAA March Madness games

It’s March Madness time, and Credence ID is in the game. The company has deployed biometrics at the University of Dayton to enable acceptance of mobile IDs, including mobile driver’s licenses (mDLs), for age assurance at concession stands during the first four NCAA tournament games.

In comments emailed to Biometric Update, Vanshika Shah, who handles product design and digital marketing for Credence ID, says “March Madness is one of the biggest college basketball tournaments in the U.S., bringing together 68 teams to compete for the national championship. The tournament kicked off with the First Four games, taking place in Dayton, Ohio, on March 18-19. This year, University of Dayton is making history by accepting mobile driver’s licenses for the purchase of age-restricted products throughout the stadium using Credence ID’s Tap2iD Verifiers.”

“By streamlining ID checks, reducing wait times, and minimizing fraud risks, mobile IDs help venues operate more efficiently while enhancing security and compliance,” Credence says. “This shift is part of a larger trend – seen in other large event spaces like BMO stadium in Los Angeles – where major venues are embracing mDLs to improve customer experience and operational effectiveness.”

Credence’s Verify with Credence ID suite of products has also seen deployments at retail bars and restaurants in California, and at DMVs in several states for check-in and automated data filling. Like other providers working in the event space, it has partnered with Mashgin – which scans and recognizes foodstuffs and other purchases – for automated biometric check out.

The company says that further partnerships are in the works with large events including NCAA, MLS and the PGA Tour.

Use cases for mobile driver’s licenses maturing across sectors

DMVs are key collaborators for the company, as adoption of mobile driver’s licenses makes it an increasingly common form of digital ID. Credence says it is “actively collaborating with DMVs to enhance digital ID adoption and improve efficiency in DMV operations. By integrating Tap2ID solutions for faster check-ins and automated form-filling, we can help reduce wait times, minimize manual errors, and support DMV staff in processing identity-related transactions more efficiently.”

The firm also sees use cases for mDLs in travel, healthcare, hospitality and retail, “where mDLs can be leveraged for automated check-ins, secure access control, and seamless transactions.”

The goal, Credence says, is to “ensure mDLs are not just available but widely usable, making digital identity verification frictionless and secure across multiple industries.”

“Mobile driver’s license adoption in the U.S. is steadily progressing, with more states launching programs and expanding digital ID acceptance. While adoption rates vary, we’re seeing growing interest from both government agencies and private sector entities looking to streamline identity verification. The challenge now is scaling interoperability and ensuring widespread acceptance at retail locations, venues, and other everyday use cases.”

One enthusiastic early adopter of mDLs for ID verification is Credence CEO Bruce Hanson. Posting on his LinkedIn account, Hanson says he has been using his mDL “several times a week” at “TSA, soccer matches in LA, and several favorite watering holes in San Francisco.”

Article Topics

age verification  |  biometrics  |  Credence ID  |  digital ID  |  identity verification  |  mDL (mobile driver's license)  |  mDL authentication  |  retail biometrics  |  Tap2iD