Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
Online gambling has become a fast growing but controversial industry. This article summarizes two studies that investigate characteristics of Internet gambling environments that lead to problems with self-control. In-depth interviews with both online and casino gamblers reveal that their experiences are categorized differently in an online context, causing some informants to undertake less monitoring of spending. They also use their physical environment to impose boundaries. Next, an experiment investigates two characteristics of online gambling environments: the use of intangible currency and rapid sequential choice. Both traits negatively affect people's ability to maintain an accurate, in-the-moment account balance across a sequence of gambles. These studies suggest several policy and consumer welfare implications.
Siemens et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: