Online Gambling involves gambling through the internet and carries similar risks to offline gambling. Its widespread availability, ease of use and accessibility has increased the rate of gambling-related harm. These harms can include financial distress, relationship breakdown, family violence, mental illness and substance misuse. Harm can also result from the diversion of money away from essential household spending, which can lead to food insecurity and difficulties accessing healthcare and education.

In addition to financial problems, online gamblers can suffer from a range of other issues including loss of control and an inability to stop gambling. This can result in a decline in work or academic performance, leading to missed deadlines, reduced productivity and ultimately job loss or failing grades. The stress associated with gambling can also affect health, causing insomnia and high blood pressure. Finally, some people may resort to illegal activities, such as theft and fraud, to fund their gambling habits, which can have serious legal consequences.

Despite these potential hazards, online gambling is becoming increasingly popular and is being promoted heavily through advertising and sponsorship. Therefore, there is a need to develop preventive interventions that target the specificities of online gambling.

This article examines the current state of knowledge on risk and protective factors for online gambling among adults and suggests a number of directions for future research. However, it is important to note that the vast majority of the studies in this field are cross-sectional and do not involve representative samples. This limits the validity of many of the findings, and longitudinal studies would be useful to improve our understanding of the relationships between variables.