The online gambling industry has come a long way since the first online casino was launched in 1994. In fact, it now accounts for more than a quarter of the global gambling market, with players around the world wagering on everything from slots and poker to sports and horse racing. With its exploding popularity, it’s important to understand how Online Gambling works, and how to gamble responsibly.

When you’re ready to start gambling, make sure to sign up for a real money account with your preferred online casino. Once you’ve done this, load money into your bankroll. You’ll then be able to play games or place bets with your own funds, and you’ll see any winnings reflected in your account balance. However, it’s always a good idea to play with only a portion of your overall funds and never more than you can afford to lose.

Aside from the individual and relational factors discussed in the selected articles, variables acting at a contextual level appear to influence gambling behavior as well. The university context, for instance, appears to increase the likelihood of internet gambling among students (Mihaylova et al., 2013), although this finding is based on a single study. On the other hand, a study by Gainsbury et al. found that people who gamble online tend to experience psychological distress more frequently than those who don’t. This may reflect their greater propensity to gamble when they’re emotionally vulnerable.