Mental Health Effects of Online Gambling

Online Gambling is any form of gambling that is conducted via the Internet, including casino games and sports betting. Its popularity is growing with new technologies providing innovative ways to gamble and attracting younger demographics. Online gambling is legal in some states of the US and in many countries worldwide.

The online gambling industry is a lucrative business, with the number of players increasing over time. However, it is important to recognize its potential harmful effects on people’s mental health and take steps to mitigate them.

While most people are not addicted to gambling, some people get swept up in the excitement of the games and end up losing significant sums of money. This can lead to financial difficulties and psychological stress. In extreme cases, people can even suffer from social isolation and a decreased quality of life.

In addition, the convenience of gambling online can lead to problems with eating and sleeping patterns. Moreover, a person may spend more time gambling than they should, which can impact their work and family responsibilities. This is why it’s important to be aware of the warning signs and seek help as soon as possible.

There is significant variability in the past-year prevalence of online gambling among adolescents, ranging from 0.6% in Spain (Gonzalez-Cabrera et al., 2020) to 6% in European samples (Andrie et al., 2019). This inconsistency is mainly due to the wide range of methods used, including different sampling designs and measurement instruments. In particular, there is a need for the development of specific diagnostic instruments that assess problem online gambling in representative samples of adolescents based on clinical gold standards and accurate cut-off points.