Defining the key issues discussed by problematic gamblers on web-based forums: a data-driven approach

ABSTRACT

Online forums can be a source of support for people with gambling-related problems. Forum threads contain detailed information about these gamblers’ experiences. However, because of limitations in data collection and analysis, there have been few systematic analyzes of forum content. The aim of this study is to use web scraping and correlated topic modeling to develop a bottom-up, data-driven approach to identify key issues raised by gamblers participating in an online forum, taking 2,298 posts from 1,400 unique authors over a twelve-year period. The data revealed ten themes that fall into four superordinate categories: negative emotions caused by gambling, the process of recovery, gambling products and money related concerns. Negative emotions associated with gambling was the most common topic occurring in 25% of posts. The process of recovery theme could be divided into formal and informal resources for dealing with gambling problems. Gambling products captured both traditional high street and new online forms of gambling. A final theme highlighted how family and friends become sources of finance to fund gambling. These findings can be used to design brief psychosocial education programs which highlight the consequences of gambling on oneself, one’s family and the emotional impact that emerges from gambling.

KEYWORDS:

• Gambling
• online forums
• web scraping
• correlated topic models

Authors contribution

AB is the guarantor. AB acquired and analysed the data. RJ provided statistical expertise and support. Both authors drafted the manuscript. All authors read, provided feedback and approved the final version of the manuscript.

Constraints on publishing

The authors declare no constraints on publishing.

Additional information

Funding

No funding sources to declare with this research.

Notes on contributors

Alex Bradley

Alex Bradley is a Teaching Fellow at the School of Education and Sociology, University of Portsmouth. His research interest is primarily in the use of large data to address real world problems.

Richard J. E. James

Richard J. E. James, PhD is a Assistant Professor in the School of Psychology, University of Nottingham. His research has primarily looked at the behavioral mechanisms involved in mobile gambling and behavioral addiction, and the latent structure of disordered gambling and other disorders.