Key findings

• Connection through lived experience is the core mechanism of impact. Online peer support helps people feel understood, reduces shame, builds belonging, and sustains motivation by connecting them with others who have experienced gambling harm and recovery. Seeing others’ progress provides hope and credibility that formal services alone often cannot offer.
• Online peer support can act as both a gateway and a safety net. It lowers barriers to help-seeking, offers 24/7 access, and—particularly through real-time platforms—can play a role in crisis prevention and relapse avoidance. For some, it complements formal treatment; for others, it is the only form of support they use.
• Effectiveness depends on safety, structure, and flexibility. Risks such as triggering content, harmful group dynamics, scams, and harassment can undermine trust and disengage users, especially in poorly moderated spaces. Flexible, person-led models that offer both synchronous and asynchronous options better accommodate diverse needs, preferences, and stages of recovery.
• Peer support requires clear boundaries, safeguarding, and support for peer supporters. While lived experience builds trust, it is not a substitute for professional care. Formal peer supporter roles are complex and emotionally demanding, requiring training, supervision, and proportionate safeguarding to protect both users and peer facilitators.