Online Gambling is the act of placing bets on games of chance and skill using internet-connected devices such as desktop computers, laptops, tablets and mobile phones. It is a growing industry, with the most popular activities being casino games, sports betting and lottery-style games such as bingo and roulette. It is also possible to gamble in virtual video games such as poker or blackjack, and some real-life casinos now offer Provably Fair gambling platforms based on blockchain technology.

Many factors contribute to the addictive nature of online gambling, including easy accessibility (facilitated by internet and mobile phone access), targeted advertising, and social pressures to gamble. In addition, online gambling activates the brain’s reward systems, resulting in feelings of pleasure and excitement similar to those produced by drugs and alcohol. This can lead to escalation of gambling behavior, as individuals attempt to recover losses by betting more and more money.

Other risk factors include co-occurring physical and mental health conditions, which increase the likelihood of developing a pathological mode of gambling. In addition, fraud is a serious problem for online gambling sites. This can be as simple as a hacker stealing funds from a player’s account, or as complicated as a criminal organization laundering money through an online gambling site. Fraudulent activity costs online casinos in terms of revenue loss, increased chargebacks, and lost bonuses and promotions. It can also strain relationships with payment processors and require substantial resources to manage.