Online Gambling is a massive industry that allows millions of people around the world to place bets, gamble on casino games or play poker. The game is played on a computer connected to the Internet and is regulated by gambling commissions in most countries.
Online casinos can be found in the UK, US, Canada, Australia and many other places around the world. Those that offer casino games are required to be licensed by the gambling authorities in the country they operate in, and their sites must meet certain standards. These include transparency, anti-fraud policies and responsible gaming guidelines.
These regulations ensure that players are protected from fraud and if they do encounter problems they have a channel for complaint. In addition, reputable gambling companies will often have clear terms and conditions on their websites and support staff will be available via phone or email.
Although there are similarities between risk and protective factors for both offline and online gambling, it would be desirable to tailor prevention interventions specifically to the needs of this group. Especially, since it has been found that problems specific to Internet gambling, such as electronic payment or the constant availability of gambling leading to disrupted sleeping and eating patterns, are not adequately addressed in current prevention measures. Moreover, the majority of studies investigating these aspects use nonrepresentative samples, and thus cross-sectional comparisons between groups are not possible. Thus, more longitudinal research is needed to understand the relationship between risk and protective factors for gambling disorders in general and for the online population in particular.