About Online Gambling

The online gambling industry is booming, with millions of people around the world playing casino games, sports betting, poker and esports. For many, it is just harmless fun – but for others, it can cause serious problems, including addiction. This is why it’s important for parents and teachers to understand what online gambling is, how it’s used and what the warning signs are so that they can help young people avoid unhealthy behaviour.

Unlike physical casinos that require face-to-face interaction, online gambling platforms allow players to gamble with minimal personal information. Criminals take advantage of this by using stolen credit cards or fake identities to make deposits and withdrawals – effectively laundering their illegally obtained money. In addition, most online casinos offer multiple accounts that criminals can transfer funds between to obfuscate the source of their income.

The number of online gambling accounts held by people who have gambled online has remained relatively stable, but younger people tend to hold more accounts on average and use them more frequently. This is partly because they are more likely to play on smartphones, which have become the main gateways to online gambling, but also because they are more likely to be exposed to marketing and other cues that trigger cravings to gamble.

Cravings for gambling are linked to a range of negative impacts, including increased spending, debt, poor performance at school and family problems. They are also correlated with symptoms of gambling disorder, which is included in the American Psychiatric Association’s classification of mental health disorders alongside substance-related and addictive disorders.