Online Gambling is the use of online casino, poker, sports betting and lottery sites to place real money bets and win prizes. The iGaming industry is growing and has a number of innovative features that make it attractive to players. These include electronic payment, mobile apps and personalised bonuses. However, the industry also faces some specific challenges such as fraud and money laundering.

The aim of this article is to review the current state of knowledge about risk and protective factors related to online gambling in adults. The review focuses on the literature published between 2010 and 2020. This research was conducted on peer-reviewed studies that meet the PICO criteria (POPulation Intervention Control Comparison Outcome).

Several risk factors associated with online gambling have been identified, including high impulsivity, a dysfunctional personality and having a lower income. Similarly, the quality and quantity of relationships with family members seems to play an important role in the development of gambling problems. A common feature is a disproportionate amount of time spent on gaming activities, and some individuals experience symptoms of pathological gambling as a result of this.

In addition, online gamblers can be exposed to cybercrime and have a higher risk of experiencing financial difficulties due to fraudulent activity such as phishing attacks or phone top-up scams. This can cause serious financial distress and may impact on the ability to fund their gambling activities in the long term. Managing your bankroll is also important for online gamblers and many websites offer tools such as loss-limits that can help users manage their gambling behaviours.