Online gambling

Online gambling is the act of wagering money or something of value on an outcome determined partly or wholly by chance, conducted over the internet. It includes casino games, sports betting, poker and other activities accessible via websites or mobile applications.

What is Gambling and Online Gambling

what is gambling

Gambling is the staking of money or valuables on an uncertain outcome with the intent to win more than was risked.^[1]

Online gambling replicates this through digital platforms, allowing users to place bets without visiting a physical venue.^[2]

The core elements are consistent across both: consideration (a wager), risk (an uncertain outcome) and a prize.

What are the types of Gambling

Category	Types
Casino games^[3]	Slot machines, roulette, blackjack, baccarat
Sports betting^[4]	Betting on outcomes of sporting events
eSports betting^[5]	Wagering on competitive video game events
Poker and card games^[6]^[7]	Tournaments, cash games
Lotteries and raffles^[8]^[9]	Draw-based games of chance
Bingo and keno^[10]^[11]	Number-matching games
Fantasy sports^[12]	Competitions based on real-world player statistics, DFS^[13]
Horse and greyhound racing^[14]^[15]	Betting on race outcomes, historically one of the oldest regulated gambling forms
Arbitrage betting^[16]	Arbitrage betting is a strategy that guarantees a small profit by wagering on all possible outcomes of an event across different bookmakers

Motivations for Gambling

gambling motivation

Typology^[17]	Description
Social play	Group activity driven by social interaction and shared enjoyment. Wagering is secondary to entertainment, with players understanding the variance of outcomes
Wise decision	Routine, strategy-driven gambling where the primary motivation is financial gain based on perceived knowledge, skill advantage, or odds analysis
Me time	Solitary gambling utilized for relaxation or alleviating boredom. Passing time is the primary goal, with potential financial gains viewed as a secondary benefit
Just what I do	Habitual, low-engagement gambling integrated into daily routines. Driven by the distant possibility of a significant win rather than active interest in the game
Along for the ride	Passive participation driven by social obligations or accompanying others. Players have minimal interest in the activity and accept losses as a cost of socializing
Money to burn	Opportunistic gambling triggered by surplus funds, such as loose change, previous winnings, or promotional credits, aiming to multiply low-value assets
Feeling lucky	Spontaneous gambling motivated by superstition or a sudden belief in favorable odds. Characterized by high susceptibility to immediate environmental triggers
For the money	Financially motivated gambling targeting large jackpots. Players acknowledge the low probability of success and rely entirely on chance, lacking engagement with gameplay

Gambling regulations and licenses

A gambling license is an official authorization that allows a company to offer gambling services legally in a specific jurisdiction. A regulator is the public authority or licensed body that issues permits, monitors operators, enforces compliance, and can suspend or revoke a license.^[18]

Licensed casinos are usually required to follow rules on player verification, anti-money laundering, game fairness, data protection and responsible gambling.

Types of licenses

License Type	Description	Example
B2C license	Issued to operators that provide gambling directly to players	Any online casino
B2B license	Issued to companies that supply software, games, payment systems, or platform services to operators	NetEnt, Evolution

B2C casino license types

License Type	Description	Example
Online gambling license	Covers remote gambling services offered through websites or mobile apps^[19]	UK Gambling Commission
Land-based gambling license	Covers physical casinos, betting shops, or gaming halls^[20]	Nevada Gaming Control Board
Onshore license	Issued by the country or state where the operator targets players. It usually has stricter local compliance requirements	Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO)^[21]
Offshore license	Issued by an external jurisdiction that allows international operation, usually where local law does not require a domestic license^[22]	Curacao Gaming Control Board (CGCB)
Personal licenses	In some jurisdictions, key individuals such as directors, compliance officers, or senior managers must also be licensed or approved	UK Gambling Commission^[23]

Offshore casino licenses

An offshore casino license is a regulatory certification issued by a remote, often low-tax jurisdiction that allows an operator to legally offer online gambling services globally. These licenses provide operators with international market access while requiring compliance with the issuing jurisdiction's specific anti-money laundering and fair play standards.

Jurisdiction	Licensing authority	Official website	Licensed casinos
Curacao	Curacao Gaming Control Board (CGCB)	CGCB official website	Curacao licensed casinos
Malta	Malta Gaming Authority (MGA)	MGA official website	Malta licensed casinos
Isle of Man	Gambling Supervision Commission (GSC)	GSC official website
Gibraltar	HM Government of Gibraltar (HMGB)	HMGB official website	Gibraltar licensed casinos
Kahnawake (Canada)	Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC)	KGC official website	Kahnawake licensed casinos
Anjouan	Anjouan Offshore Finance Authority (AOFA)	AOFA official website	Anjouan licensed casinos
Alderney	Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC)	AGCC official website
Tobique (Canada)	Tobique Gaming Commission (TGC)	TGC official website
Panama	Junta de Control de Juegos (PJCJ)	PJCJ official website
Belize	Belize Gaming Control Commission (BGCC)	BGCC official website

Local casino licenses

A local (or onshore) casino license is an official regulatory permit issued by a specific country or state that legally authorizes an operator to offer gambling services exclusively to players within that particular jurisdiction.^[24]

USA regulators

State^[25]	Licensing authority	Official website	Licensed casinos
New Jersey	New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE)	NJDGE official website	New Jersey licensed casinos
Pennsylvania	Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB)	PGCB official website	Pennsylvania licensed casinos
Michigan	Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB)	MGCB official website	Michigan licensed casinos
Connecticut	Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (CDCP)	Connecticut official website
Nevada	Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB)	NGCB official website
California	California Gambling Control Commission (CGCC)	CGCC official website	California licensed casinos

Canada regulators

State	Licensing authority	Official website	Licensed casinos
Ontario	Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO)	AGCO official website	Ontario licensed operators
Alberta	Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC)	official website	Ontario licensed operators
Kahnawake	Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC)	KGC official website	Kahnawake licensed operators
Tobique	Tobique Gaming Commission (TGC)	TGC official website
New Brunswick	New Brunswick Gaming Commission (NBGC)	NBGC official website

UK regulators

Jurisdiction	Licensing authority	Official website	Licensed casinos
United Kingdom	UK Gambling Commission (UKGC)	UKGC official website	UK licensed operators

Africa regulators

Kenya Regulators
Jurisdiction	Licensing authority	Official website	Licensed casinos
Kenya	Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB)	BCLB official website	Kenya licensed operators

South Africa regulators
State	Licensing authority	Official website	Licensed casinos
National	National Gambling Board (SANGB)	SANGB official website
Western Cape	Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board (WCGRB)	WCGRB official website	Western Cape licensed operators
Gauteng	Gauteng Gambling Board (GGB)	GGB official website	Gauteng licensed operators
KwaZulu-Natal	KwaZulu-Natal Gaming and Betting Board (KZNGBB)	KZNGBB official website	KwaZulu-Natal licensed operators
Eastern Cape	Eastern Cape Gambling Board (ECGB)	ECGB official website	Eastern Cape licensed operators
Mpumalanga	Mpumalanga Economic Regulator (MER)	MER official website

Nigeria regulators
Jurisdiction	Licensing authority	Official website	Licensed casinos
Federal	National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC)	NLRC official website	National Nigerian licensed operators
Lagos State	Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LSLGA)	LSLGA official website	Lagos licensed operators
Oyo State	Oyo State Gaming Board (OYSGB)	OYSGB official website	Oyo licensed operators

Europe regulators

Jurisdiction	Licensing authority	Official website	Licensed casinos
Sweden	Swedish Gambling Authority (SGA)	SGA official website	Sweden licensed operators

Responsible gaming

Responsible gaming is the set of rules and tools designed to help people gamble safely and reduce harm.^[26]

Responsible gaming tools

Tool	Description
Deposit limits	Caps on how much a player can deposit per day, week or month^[27]
Loss limits	Caps on losses over a defined period^[28]
Session time limits	Automatic logouts after a set duration^[29]
Reality checks	On-screen notifications showing time spent and money wagered^[30]
Cool-off periods	Short-term account suspensions, typically 24 hours to 6 weeks^[31]
Self-exclusion	Voluntary account closure for a defined period or permanently^[32]

Self-exclusion schemes

Many jurisdictions operate multi-operator self-exclusion registers. A player who registers is blocked across all licensed operators in that jurisdiction.

Exclusion register	Jurisdiction	Website
Gamstop	United Kingdom	https://www.gamstop.co.uk/
MOSES	United Kingdom	https://self-exclusion.co.uk/
SENSE	United Kingdom	https://www.senseselfexclusion.com/
BISES	United Kingdom	https://bingo-association.co.uk/self-exclusion/
Bacta	United Kingdom	https://bacta.org.uk/
Spelpaus	Sweden	https://www.spelpaus.se/en
ROFUS	Denmark	https://www.rofus.nu/en/
Gokstop (CRUKS)	Netherlands	https://cruksregister.nl/Gokstop

What are the risk of gambling

Gambling carries inherent risks, primarily financial loss and the potential for behavioral addiction. Secondary risks include exposure to unregulated or fraudulent operators, data privacy breaches, and severe psychological impacts such as stress and depression.^[33]

The 24/7 accessibility of online gambling exacerbates these neurological triggers.

Money laundering

Gambling has historically been exploited for money laundering due to the ease of converting illicit funds into chips or wagers and withdrawing winnings as "clean" money.^[34]

Licensed operators are required under Anti-Money Laundering (AML) directives (e.g., the EU's AMLD5) to conduct customer due diligence (CDD), monitor transactions, and report suspicious activity to financial intelligence units.^[35]

Why is gambling addictive

Gambling stimulates the brain's reward system, releasing dopamine during near-misses and unpredictable wins. This variable-ratio reinforcement schedule conditions individuals to continue playing despite financial losses, leading to addiction.

Factors linked to addiction risk include:

Fast-paced games and continuous betting
Easy online access
Psychological reinforcement from near-misses or bonuses
Use of gambling to cope with stress or negative emotions

The DSM-5 classifies Gambling Disorder as a behavioral addiction, placing it alongside substance use disorders.^[36]

How to quit gambling

Quitting gambling requires immediate intervention and structured long-term support.

Method	Description	Examples
Self-exclusion	Register with national self-exclusion schemes	GamStop, Spelpaus, Rofus, GokStop
Financial controls	Notify your bank to block gambling transactions, many banks offer this via their apps
Support organizations	Confidential helplines, professional counseling, and peer-led recovery groups providing treatment and support for gambling addiction	Gam-Anon, Gamblers Anonymous, National Council on Problem Gambling, GamCare
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)	Evidence-based treatment targeting distorted thinking patterns around gambling
Blocking software	Use applications and device-level tools that restrict access to gambling websites and apps across smartphones and computers	BetBlocker, GAMBAN, GamBlock

FAQ

Is poker gambling?: Yes. Poker meets the legal and definitional criteria for gambling: it involves wagering money on an uncertain outcome. Skill influences results over time, but chance is present in every hand. Most jurisdictions regulate it as gambling.

Is fantasy football gambling?: Depends on jurisdiction. In the US, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA, 2006) explicitly exempted fantasy sports with entry fees and prizes, classifying them as games of skill.^[37] However, daily fantasy sports (DFS) face gambling classification in several US states and in many other countries. The legal status is not uniform globally.

Is sports betting gambling?: Yes. Sports betting is universally classified as gambling. It involves staking money on the outcome of an event where the result is uncertain. It is regulated as gambling in every jurisdiction that addresses it.

References

[1] ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gambling

[2] ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_gambling

[3] ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Gambling_games

[4] ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_betting

[5] ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esports_betting

[6] ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poker

[7] ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Card_game

[8] ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lottery

[9] ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raffle

[10] ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Bingo

[11] ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keno

[12] ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasy_sport

[13] ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daily_fantasy_sports

[14] ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse_racing

[15] ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greyhound_racing

[16] ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbitrage_betting

[17] ttps://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/about-us/guide/gambling-typologies

[18] ttps://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/licensees-and-businesses/guide/operating-licences

[19] ttps://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/licensees-and-businesses/sectors/sector/remote

[20] ttps://iclg.com/practice-areas/gambling-laws-and-regulations/austria

[21] ttps://4h.agency/everything-else/tpost/vp66l7og01-gambling-licenses-what-are-they-and-how

[22] ttps://legalbison.com/offshore-gambling-license/

[23] ttps://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/licensees-and-businesses/guide/personal-functional-licence

[24] ttps://lawstrust.com/en/licence/gambling/casino

[25] ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Gambling_regulators_in_the_United_States

[26] ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Responsible_gambling

[27] ttps://rg.org/guides/responsible-gambling/deposit-limits-guide

[28] ttps://ozgamblingterms.miraheze.org/wiki/Loss_Limits

[29] ttps://ozgamblingterms.miraheze.org/wiki/Session_Timeout_(Gambling)

[30] ttps://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/standards/remote-gambling-and-software-technical-standards/rts-13-time-requirements-and-reality-checks

[31] ttps://www.igaming.com/igamingcare/gambling-cool-offs/

[32] ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-exclusion

[33] ttps://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/gambling-disorder/what-is-gambling-disorder

[34] ttps://ozgamblingterms.miraheze.org/wiki/Money_Laundering_(Gambling_Risks)

[35] ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti%E2%80%93money_laundering

[36] ttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4019046/

[37] ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unlawful_Internet_Gambling_Enforcement_Act_of_2006

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