Online gambling has become a growing trend in Europe, and some jurisdictions have attempted to regulate it. This regulation has two main purposes: to ensure that consumers are protected and to increase tax revenue. While the number of sites offering online gambling is still small, participation is growing rapidly in regulated markets. The debate over regulation has been ongoing for several years, but recent developments show that a number of jurisdictions are making progress.
In order to gamble online, players must have an internet connection and a computer. Many gambling sites only support Windows PCs, but recently a growing number of Mac-compatible sites have launched. Despite this difference, online gambling is available to anyone with a computer and internet access. Various online gambling sites accept many different payment methods.
Online gambling is legal in the majority of states, but gambling is prohibited in a small number of states. Utah, for example, has a significant Mormon population, while Hawaii’s citizens are heavily religious. As such, residents of these states generally oppose online gambling. Other states that have banned gambling are Idaho and Wisconsin.
There is limited research on the relationship between internet gambling and mental health. However, multiple studies in Sweden did not support the assumption that Internet gambling would attract people with mental health issues. Problem gamblers were more likely to be engaged in offline gambling activities.