What Is Online Gambling?

Online Gambling is the act of placing bets and wagering with real money via a web-based gambling platform. There are many forms of online gambling, including sports betting, lottery games, casino gaming and poker. Many people prefer to gamble through an internet connection instead of visiting brick-and-mortar casinos or betting shops. The popularity of online gambling is attributed to technological advances, which have allowed people to access their favorite games from anywhere.

Online gambling can be a risky business because it exposes players to potential fraud. If operators fail to spot and stop fraudulent sign-ups, they will be in big trouble with regulators and may see their player numbers plummet as a result of a poor customer experience. This is especially true for multiplayer games like online poker, where a failure to control fraud can have an immediate impact on live play.

Fraud in online gambling occurs on a wide range of platforms and involves all manner of illicit activities, from account takeover (ATO) fraud to bonus abuse, credit card fraud and betting bots. This is a major challenge for online gambling sites and can lead to a host of problems including skewed player demographics, reduced brand trust, increased churn and lower retention rates.

The US bans some forms of online gambling, such as sports betting and horse racing, but it is legal in most other states. The exceptions are Utah and Hawaii, which have a very religious climate and have little interest in allowing gambling.