Policy impacts online: Applying mixed methods in studying social media

Session Title

Session 2-4-B: Special Topics

Presenters

Mark van der MaasFollow
Lia Nower, Center for Gambling Studies, Rutgers University
Ray S. Cho, Center for Gambling StudiesFollow

Presentation Type

Paper Presentation

Location

Park MGM, Las Vegas, NV

Start Date

24-5-2023 1:30 PM

End Date

24-5-2023 3:00 PM

Disciplines

Social Work

Abstract

This talk will discuss a study that used data collected from a large online peer support community for people harmed by gambling. The purpose of the study was to test whether there were changes in the quantity and content of participation on the forum before and after an important policy change related to gambling, the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992.

This mixed method study collected posts from the r/problemgambling topic board from the large message board hosting platform Reddit.com. Posts were collected between January 1, 2016 to December 31,2020. Interrupted times series analyses showed in the volume of message board activity before and after June 1, 2018, the date of the implementation of legal sports betting in the US outside of Nevada. Thematic analysis of post titles and post content showed increased discussion of American professional sports after the interruption date.

The findings show both that there are indications that the spread of legal sports betting in the US is impacting the discussion of problem gambling online and that social media maybe provide a useful source of information where data relevant to impacts of increase gambling accessibility on public health are sparse.

Keywords

Social Media, Sports betting, Times series, qualitative research

Author Bios

Mark van der Maas: Dr. Mark van der Maas is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work and core faculty member of the Center for Gambling Studies at Rutgers University. His research focuses on detecting impacts of rapid gabling expansion on public health. He is also interested in leveraging emerging data sources to inform and improve Gambling Disorder interventions and prevention.

Dr. Ray Cho is a project coordinator for the Center for Gambling Studies at the Rutgers School of Social Work. As an interdisciplinary researcher, he is interested in data science and responsible gambling policy. Dr. Cho uses SQL, Python, and R to analyze large data sets on gambling populations and gambling activity. Having both industry and public policy experience, Dr. Cho considers the tensions between stakeholder and ecological systems perspectives in his research.

Lia Nower, JD, Ph.D. is Professor and Director of the Center for Gambling Studies at Rutgers University. Her research focuses on etiology, treatment, policy initiatives around harm reduction and responsible gambling, and big data analyses of online gambling and sports wagering. She serves as a Senior Editor for Addiction and Assistant Editor of International Gambling Studies. Dr. Nower is also the 2022 recipient of the Lifetime Research Award from the National Council on Problem Gambling in Washington D.C.

Funding Sources

None

Competing Interests

None