Online Gambling is any gambling activity that is conducted over the internet, including casinos, poker and sports betting. It is a rapidly growing industry that is expanding even further as more countries liberalize their own stances on gambling and more people are drawn to the opportunity of gambling from the comfort of their home. However, like most modern technologies, online gambling comes with both its benefits and its drawbacks. It has become increasingly addictive due to its instant accessibility and convenience, and it can cause serious problems to players if not controlled properly.
In the case of gambling, it can lead to financial ruin and even depression, anxiety and stress. This is why it is so important for adults to educate children and young people about gambling and how to spot a problem. It can also be very difficult to stop once the habit has started, which is why it is so important to try to prevent it in the first place.
In this article, we examine the state of knowledge about risk and protective factors in the context of online gambling. To do this, we conducted a systematic literature search in three academic databases: PubMed, PsychInfo and Scopus. The search was limited to peer-reviewed studies published between 2010 and 2020. Two types of comparison were analysed: online vs offline, and online nonproblematic vs problematic gambling. A total of 42 articles were included in this review. These articles were reviewed and analyzed according to the PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) research model.