Online Gambling includes any gambling activity conducted over the internet, whether that is betting on sports events, playing casino games, skin betting or even playing video games that have gambling elements. It is important to understand that just like other vices such as alcohol and drugs, online gambling can cause harm, including addiction.
Harms associated with gambling can include financial problems, poor performance at work or school, social isolation, relationship conflicts, increased stress and depression, and health issues such as mental illness and substance use disorders. Moreover, the legacy of gambling harm can persist throughout a person’s lifetime and may even have intergenerational impacts. The prevention of online gambling harm requires comprehensive approaches to address the underlying risk factors, which includes stopping advertising and promotions, universal pre-commitment (requiring people to set binding loss limits), and self-exclusion from online gaming providers.
Behavioral therapy (such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and support groups are highly effective in assisting individuals with quitting online gambling. For those with an addiction, medication can also be beneficial in helping to change harmful patterns of thought and behavior.
Most people gamble online at home, but it is not unusual for those who are problem gamblers to report gambling outside of the house as well. In fact, during the COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020, one in five online gamblers reported gambling at work and while commuting. This is likely due to the ability of a gambling product to be readily available at work or while travelling, as well as the easy access that it provides in remote locations and social settings where people are less likely to be screened.
