Adapting in times of crisis : how social media marketing of gambling changed in response to major shifts in the gambling landscape

Abstract

Gambling marketing on social media in countries like Great Britain (GB) is relatively well understood. Little is known, however, about how such marketing is impacted by major changes to the gambling landscape, like the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we assessed changes in the frequency, sentiment, and content of gambling marketing on Twitter by Great Britain (GB) gambling operators and affiliates. We analysed n = 353,134 tweets from 10 operators and affiliates posted between January 2020 and July 2022. Using machine learning, we categorised tweets based on content and tracked how social media use by operators and affiliates changed during the pandemic. Findings revealed decreases in the frequency of tweets posted during the first national lockdown, particularly for affiliates, and a greater proportion of sports content related tweets, compared to direct advertising, as the pandemic continued. Postings by affiliates tended to include more positive sentiments. Our findings highlight the speed at which gambling operators and affiliates adapted their social media marketing campaigns to large structural changes like the COVID-19 lockdowns.