Hell for Consumer Addiction?: Thematic Analysis of COVID-19 Narratives in Gambling Support Forums

A leading international gambling support forum was mined for all posts associated with COVID-19 during 2020 (n=307) and thematically analyzed. Thematic analysis revealed eight themes that were commonly presented in the forum posts. They were (1) life challenges and normality, (2) positivity and support, (3) losses, (4) gambling changes, (5) fear and worry, (6) boredom and loneliness, (7) mental health challenges and (8) gambling treatment changes. Findings show that people experiencing gambling harm are disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the standard public health notices do not meet their unique needs. The lack of preventative measures, such as targeted and timely information to combat adverse outcomes, and reflexive support systems and services has made this time more challenging for this group.