Online Gambling is an activity that allows players to place bets on games of chance over the Internet using a computer or mobile device. This type of gambling is becoming increasingly popular, and many countries have legalized or are in the process of regulating it. It can take the form of traditional bricks-and-mortar casinos or virtual casinos that offer a variety of games. New and sometimes unregulated forms of gambling have also emerged online, such as skin gambling.
In recent decades, online gambling has experienced strong growth and diffusion due to its intrinsic characteristics that make it particularly attractive to users (accessibility, anonymity, variety of games). However, there are concerns regarding the development of problem gambling among people who engage in this activity, mainly because it can be difficult to control the amount spent and because of issues related to the constant availability of electronic payment, leading to disrupted sleeping and eating patterns.
Although risk and protective factors have been identified, few studies focus on these specifically in relation to online gambling. A particular concern is that the majority of the studies use nonrepresentative samples and most are cross-sectional, which makes it difficult to assess whether the relationships observed are causal. Scarce attention is also paid to variables acting at the contextual level, such as life contexts or the environment.
In addition, it has been shown that online gambling can lead to a loss of self-control and social ties, and it is possible that some players are susceptible to addiction. As a result, it is important to ensure that children and young people are aware of the risks associated with gambling online, as well as signposting them to available support.