Online Gambling is the activity of playing at a casino or sportsbook over the Internet. It is legal in many areas of the world, including some states in the United States and a number of countries in Europe. Some jurisdictions have strict laws on gambling activities, while others have no such regulations and allow it to operate freely. The number of people who gamble online has grown significantly in recent years, and is expected to continue to grow.

The majority of online gambling is done from home. However, one in five online gamblers have also played from work or while commuting. During the COVID-19 lockdown, this figure increased slightly as people had extra time at home.

Although the vast majority of articles focus on factors influencing online gambling, scarce attention is given to relational and contextual factors. This could be due to the fact that, in general, factors affecting online gambling are similar to those affecting offline gambling. However, the few studies that did compare these aspects reveal some interesting differences.

For example, it has been found that women are more likely to be problematic gamblers compared to men. This is partly because they tend to spend more money on gambling and are more likely to chase losses than men. Other factors include a lack of self-control, which can lead to poor work or academic performance, and health issues. These are often the result of stress, which can be caused by a gambling problem.