How DSI Security used VeriScan to reduce fake ID risk at a large music festival

Gulf Coast Jam is one of the premier country music festivals in the United States, attracting over 100,000 attendees for multiple days of live entertainment (including headliners such as Post Malone, Chris Stapleton, Keith Urban, and Riley Green), food, beverages, and VIP experiences. Managing security and alcohol compliance at an event of this scale requires efficient ID verification processes that can keep lines moving while preventing underage drinking and the use of fake IDs.

To strengthen security operations and improve age verification, DSI Security deployed IDScan.net’s VeriScan software alongside Unitech PA768 handheld ID scanners throughout the festival. The result was faster entry processing, improved compliance, and the confiscation of approximately 200 fake IDs during the event.

DSI needed to accurately verify age without holding up the lines

Large-scale music festivals face a unique set of security and compliance challenges. With thousands of guests arriving during concentrated periods, security teams must balance thorough ID verification with a seamless guest experience.

For Gulf Coast Jam, DSI Security was focused on several key concerns:

• Preventing the use of fake IDs.
• Reducing underage drinking risks.
• Managing long entry lines during peak arrival periods.
• Maximizing staffing efficiency across multiple access points.

Traditional visual ID inspections can be inconsistent and time-consuming, especially when entry volumes surge. DSI Security needed a solution that would enable staff to verify IDs quickly and accurately without creating bottlenecks at entrances or VIP checkpoints.

DSI trusted VeriScan to help keep things moving and secure

To support security operations at Gulf Coast Jam, DSI Security implemented VeriScan with handheld ID scanners across key access points throughout the venue.

The scanners were deployed at:

• Entry gates
• Areas outside the main entrance
• VIP access points

VeriScan’s compatibility with handheld scanners made it particularly well-suited for the festival environment. Security personnel could easily move throughout the venue while maintaining fast and accurate ID verification capabilities.

Because the solution is intuitive and easy to operate, staff members were able to learn the system quickly with minimal training requirements. This allowed DSI Security to efficiently deploy personnel while maintaining consistent verification procedures across multiple locations.

The handheld scanners automatically verified age information and enabled security teams to rapidly verify IDs, helping staff identify potentially fraudulent documents while accelerating guest processing times.

With VeriScan, DSI prevented underage drinking, maintained compliance, and ensured a positive guest experience

VeriScan helped DSI Security improve both operational efficiency and security outcomes throughout Gulf Coast Jam.

To improve efficiency and focus resources where they were needed most, DSI Security scanned the IDs of attendees who appeared to be under the age of 21. Over the festival weekend, 200 fraudulent IDs were detected, representing 7.4% of individuals screened. This underscores the significant risk of underage drinking attempts at large-scale festivals and the importance of robust ID verification measures. By replacing manual visual inspections with fast digital verification, security personnel were able to process guests more quickly while maintaining confidence in age verification decisions.

Key Outcomes include:

Positive Guest Experience
Faster processing and shorter lines contributed to a smoother arrival experience while still ensuring proper security checks were performed.

Approximately 200 Fake IDs Confiscated
Using VeriScan, DSI Security identified and confiscated approximately 200 fake IDs during the event, helping prevent underage alcohol access and supporting compliance efforts.

Faster Guest Processing
The handheld scanners reduced wait times at entry points by enabling rapid ID verification. Guests were able to move through checkpoints more efficiently and begin enjoying the festival sooner.

Enhanced Compliance
VeriScan enabled reliable age verification for guests purchasing alcohol, helping organizers and security teams maintain compliance with applicable regulations and event policies.

Looking forward

According to Boyd Clark, SVP of Sales and Marketing at DSI Security:

“The use of scanners enhanced operational efficiency and the overall guest experience, enabling faster, more reliable age verification while maintaining compliance standards.”

As fake IDs become increasingly sophisticated and large-scale events continue to face growing compliance demands, technology-driven verification solutions are becoming essential tools for event security teams.

The successful deployment of VeriScan handheld scanners at Gulf Coast Jam demonstrates how security providers can strengthen age verification, improve operational efficiency, and create a better guest experience without sacrificing compliance or safety.

By combining experienced security personnel with advanced ID verification technology, DSI Security was able to protect guests, support responsible alcohol service, and maintain smooth festival operations throughout one of the region’s largest live entertainment events.