Online Gambling is the practice of placing bets on games of chance via the Internet. This form of gambling has exploded in popularity as more states have legalized the activity. While there are many different types of Online Gambling, some of the most popular include sports betting and casino games. While this type of gambling can be fun, it is important to recognize when you are playing too much and seek help if needed.

Using a broad search strategy, three academic databases were scanned for peer-reviewed articles using the keywords “gambling” and “online” or “interactive” and (risk factors, protective factors, predictors, correlates). The syntax was limited to those journals that publish articles in English. The articles found were reviewed and the key themes identified.

The majority of papers identify that a variety of risk and protective factors are related to the development of pathological gambling. These include a wide range of socioanagraphic variables such as age, education, employment status and disability. However, there are a number of aspects specific to online gamblers that need further exploration, particularly gender and the use of a computer to gamble.

There is also a need to focus attention on the role of relational and contextual factors. For example, two studies report that lower quality and quantity of relationships are associated with the online mode of gambling, while another study reports that having family members who are problem gamblers increases the likelihood of being an internet gambler.