Online Gambling is a form of gambling in which individuals wager money, sometimes real money, on games and sporting events through Internet platforms. While the emergence of online gambling has been a boon to some, critics point out that it can also exacerbate problem gambling, especially among young people. While legal in most jurisdictions, the industry is a growing concern for regulators and policymakers worldwide.
The high accessibility of online gambling sites and the psychological processes it invokes contribute to its addictive potential. Moreover, advertising and promotions targeted to specific groups of individuals encourage gambling behavior, while the anonymity of online gambling websites can conceal this activity. The dysregulation of the brain’s reward systems triggered by the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, further enhances the addictive potential.
Personality traits can also increase the risk of developing an addiction to online gambling. Individuals with high levels of neuroticism and low levels of conscientiousness, for example, are more likely to develop an addiction to gambling. These individuals often experience negative emotions, and their inability to control their gambling behaviour results in large financial losses.
Compliance in online gambling involves adhering to a set of standards and regulations stipulated by regulatory bodies. These include the use of truthful, non-misleading marketing and avoiding targeting persons underage. It also includes paying the due taxes, which are stipulated by the jurisdictions where the operators operate. This will allow the financial contributions attained from gambling activities to be properly accounted for and utilized for the benefit of local communities accordingly.
