Online Communities as a Risk Factor for Gambling and Gaming Problems: A Five-Wave Longitudinal Study

Online communities are becoming increasingly important in everyday life, providing opportunities for leisure habits and social organization. Some online communities are also considered risky for participants, but longitudinal studies on the potential negative consequences are needed. This social psychological study was grounded in theories of group behavior and social identification. We examined the longitudinal associations between participation in gambling and gaming online communities and excessive gambling and gaming. The role of social media identity bubbles was also considered. We used linear hybrid models and longitudinal data comprising five time points (T1–T5) to analyze within- and between-person associations. Nationally representative data were collected from Finnish respondents aged 18–75 (N = 1530) between 2021 and 2023. The Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) was used to measure gambling problems, and the Internet Gaming Disorder Test (IGDT) was used to measure gaming problems. The Identity Bubble Reinforcement Scale (IBRS) measured involvement in social media identity bubbles. The results indicated that participating in online communities was associated with both gambling and gaming problems at the within- and between-person levels. Interaction analyses showed that these problems were increased among active online community users who were also involved in online identity bubbles. Online identity bubbles play a significant role in the process by which non-problematic leisure activities can become addictive behaviors.