The Risks and Protective Factors of Online Gambling

Online Gambling is a popular form of gambling that involves wagering real money on online casino games such as slots and video poker. Players spin the reels of these games with a virtual playline, and when symbols line up in a winning combination across the payline, they win according to how much was wagered. Online gambling is a legal activity in many jurisdictions, and players can use a variety of payment methods to fund their accounts.

Online gambling is a relatively new phenomenon that has rapidly spread and grown in recent decades. It is characterized by intrinsic characteristics that make it particularly attractive to gamblers, such as its accessibility, anonymity and variety of available games. However, its growth has also been accompanied by an increase in the number of people experiencing gambling problems.

The current state of knowledge regarding the risk and protective factors related to online gambling is reviewed, based on a systematic literature search in the PubMed, PsychInfo and Scopus databases. The resulting 42 articles were included in the review and analysed. Risk and protective factors were distinguished at three levels of analysis: individual, relational and environmental. Comparisons were made between offline gamblers and online nonproblematic and problematic gamblers.

Problematic gambling may be defined as an urge to gamble despite negative consequences. These consequences may include a decline in health, relationship or work performance, or a negative impact on finances. If your gambling has become a problem, it’s important to seek help and support. A professional therapist can help you understand your problem and find ways to cope. Self-exclusion tools, such as those offered by Gamban, are another useful tool to stop gambling online. These can be downloaded to your devices and block access to thousands of gambling websites and apps.