Gambling Types

Gambling comes in many different forms. Commercial gambling includes lotteries, instant lotteries, number games (such as Lotto and Keno), sports betting, horse betting, poker and other card games, casino table games (such as roulette and craps), bingo, and electronic gaming machines (EGMs).

Why is this factor important?

There are different types of gambling available either in gambling venues or on the Internet. Gambling types can be grouped into two broad categories:

Games of chance are non-strategic games in which the outcomes are determined by chance only. Examples include lotteries, instant lotteries, bingo, and electronic gaming machines (EGMs) such as video lottery terminals or slot machines.
Games of skill are strategic games in which the outcomes are determined by both skill and chance. Examples include sports betting, horse race betting, and poker.

Gambling types differ in their game features, also known as their structural characteristics. Furthermore, people have different motivations, or reasons, for gambling. People may gamble at a harmful level because of the structural characteristics of certain games and their motivations for playing. This factor summarizes what is known in research about structural characteristics and motivations to participate in different types of gambling. It also covers how specific types of gambling may relate to harmful gambling.

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