Online gambling can take many forms. Research is needed to better understand the harmful effects of this type of gambling and to regulate it appropriately. It is important to know the risks associated with online gambling, especially if the gambler is a child. There are many ways to educate children about the dangers of online gambling.

There are some countries that have banned or restricted online gambling. However, online gambling is legal in the United States, some provinces in Canada, most of the European Union and a number of Caribbean countries. However, any online gambling provider must be licensed to operate. This is usually done through a licensing authority such as the United Kingdom Gambling Commission or the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.

Although the prevalence of problem gambling is higher among internet gamblers, it is not a good predictor of how much a person will gamble in the long run. The researchers analysed data from the 2007 British Gambling Prevalence Study to see if internet gambling participation was associated with problem gambling. The authors defined problem gambling as having a number of gambling activities in the past 12 months.

The legalization of online gambling has had some negative impacts on the gambling industry. In New Jersey, the state has attempted to pass legislation to regulate the activity. A federal criminal case has been filed against the three largest online poker companies, claiming they violated the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act and engaged in money laundering and bank fraud. The case is expected to go to trial in May 2018.