The online gambling industry has experienced massive growth over the last few years. Gamblers in the UK now have a vast range of online gambling sites to choose from. Some offer specific types of gambling, while others offer more variety. However, online gambling does have its risks, including the possibility of fraud or unfair payouts, access by children or vulnerable adults, and addiction. There are many resources available for anyone who feels the need to seek help and support.

Gamblers with gambling problems are more likely to be involved in Internet gambling than those without. One third to half of problem Internet gamblers attribute their gambling problems to land-based gambling. However, these problems often began before Internet gambling. In addition, problem Internet gamblers are more likely to report problems before they got involved in internet gambling.

While it is true that high-involvement gamblers are at higher risk of developing gambling problems, the researchers found that not all people who are highly involved in online gambling are at risk of gambling problems. This suggests that a single gambling index cannot reliably predict the likelihood of developing gambling problems. The study was conducted by analyzing data from different online gambling websites, as well as a self-report survey.

The relationship between Internet gambling and mental health is not clear, however. A number of Swedish studies did not support the assumption that internet gambling would attract problem gamblers. However, offline gamblers are more likely to report psychological and health consequences of gambling than online gamblers, which was the case in an Australian study.