Online Gambling has been around for the last two decades and continues to be one of the fastest growing industries in the world. Despite its popularity, it poses several ethical and legal concerns for society. People are drawn to this form of entertainment because it offers the possibility of winning big prizes for little effort. However, gambling is a risky activity that can cause financial ruin and addiction if not managed properly. This is why it is important to know about the different aspects of this type of entertainment before engaging in it.

This article reviews the literature about the risk and protective factors of Internet gambling for adult populations. The search was limited to studies published in peer-reviewed journals in English between 2010 and 2020. A PICO strategy was used to investigate population (P), intervention (I) and comparison of outcomes between internet and land-based gambling (O). The research question for the review was focused on all degrees of problem gambling, including nonproblematic, problematic, and pathological gamblers.

The results of the review show a homogeneity with regard to demographic and psychosocial characteristics of Internet gamblers. Several articles found that women gamblers were more likely to be in the most problematic cluster, while other reports indicated that a lower income is more likely associated with internet gambling. Moreover, a number of studies found that first gambling experience occurred at a younger age for online players than for land-based gamblers. This finding may help to explain the higher prevalence of online gambling in lower socioeconomic groups.