Online Gambling is the practice of betting on casino games, sports events or horse races via an internet connection. Unlike brick and mortar casinos, online gambling sites use random number generators to generate the results of each game. This allows players to make a wager without having to leave the comfort of their homes. However, some casino games require a degree of skill, such as poker and blackjack, so online gambling cannot be considered completely safe or free from fraud.
Due to its widespread accessibility and traditional ties to money laundering, online gambling attracts a high level of fraud from criminal groups. If a casino is unable to catch and stop fraudsters, it will suffer from increased chargeback rates, a reduction in player satisfaction and even blacklisting by payment processing companies such as Visa and MasterCard.
In order to operate safely and responsibly, online gambling sites are required to implement various risk management strategies. These may include tools such as expenditure tracking, self-set spend limits and time outs, as well as information on responsible gambling practices. In addition, operators can enact strategies such as targeted notifications (e.g. pop-up messages) based on patterns of play or analysis of player accounts to identify risky behaviour [1, 19].
In addition to implementing risk management policies, online casinos must also adhere to strict regulations regarding the safety and security of their players’ personal information. This includes using secure encryption technology and regular audits of their software, RNGs and security protocols. If players are unable to control their gambling behavior, they may need to seek treatment from an online gambling addiction center. Online gambling addiction treatments typically focus on psychotherapy and relapse prevention, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in individual or group sessions. Another treatment is motivational interviewing (MI), which helps patients work through their ambivalence about changing their gambling behavior.