Online Gambling is betting or playing games of chance for money, using a remote device such as a computer, tablet or smartphone with an internet connection. It is legal in some states in the United States, some provinces in Canada, most countries in the European Union and several Caribbean nations. However, many states have restrictions and laws that limit or prohibit certain types of gambling activities.
A relevant number of articles have been studied to identify risk and protective factors for gambling behaviours. Among these, the results are highly homogeneous, showing that factors such as high intensity and variability of the gambling mode, long session durations, early onset of gambling behaviour and having a lower income are associated with problem online gambling.
In addition to these risk and protective factors, some studies have explored variables acting at the contextual level. These include academic issues in the university context, where students are more likely to gamble (Mihaylova et al., 2013). They also include the use of phone top-ups for funding gambling accounts, a process that can be exploited by fraudsters and can lead to financial crimes such as money laundering (Lelonek-Kuleta et al., 2020).
Fraudulent activity is a serious concern for operators of online casinos. This is because it reduces revenue, exacerbates chargebacks and strains payment processor relationships. In addition, the reputational damage caused by fraudulent activity can make it more difficult to attract new customers and maintain a healthy balance sheet.