Online Gambling has grown rapidly with technological advances and is now an established sector within the gambling industry. As a result of this growing market, many countries have legalised online casino games and sports betting. Currently, it is legal to gamble in some states of the United States, some provinces of Canada, most countries within the European Union and several nations across the Caribbean. This online casino sector is regulated by gaming authorities in each country where it operates.

Despite the rapid growth of online gambling, there is still much research needed in order to better understand its implications for society. Various factors have been identified that influence gambling behaviour, including individual, relational and contextual factors. Within the selected articles, most studies report on individual and relational factors. In contrast, contextual factors appear to receive scarce attention. For example, in one study, university students’ academic problems were found to increase their tendency to gamble.

Another issue related to the growing popularity of online gambling is its impact on social and family life. Gambling-related problems have been found to disrupt personal relationships and cause feelings of withdrawal when people attempt to stop gambling. Moreover, they are associated with a variety of health issues.

In order to help with this, the GamCare charity has developed a free, anonymous and confidential online assessment tool to support anyone who may be concerned about their own gambling habits. The online tool asks a series of questions and gives a personalised report with advice on what steps to take next.