The gambling market is constantly evolving across the world. One of the most notable changes in recent times is how women have increased their participation in gambling activities. Although a lot of people still have the notion that men gamble more, statistics have shown that women gamble just as much as men.
A recent study by the British Gambling Commission provides some statistics on this topic. For example, around 42% of female respondents agreed to have participated in gambling activities within the previous month.
According to the research, females around the ages of 35 to 54 are the most likely group to gamble, having about 32% of total women gamblers. Older and younger age groups also gamble but at slightly lower rates.
What Gambling Activities do Women participate in?
The study further reveals that most women in the UK participate in activities like scratchcards, bingo, and lotteries (especially the National Lottery draws) online. In addition to these, younger women are fond of gambling with their friends in private and playing slot machines at physical gambling venues and arcades.
Women tend to prefer fast-paced games more, so you may not find them playing table and card games that involve hard strategies. However, many are interested in fast-paced card games like online Andar Bahar for real cash. Fortunately, there are speed versions of many table games online these days which means ladies can get to try more of them.
Why do women gamble?
As mentioned, women gamble as much as men, but the difference is mostly in their motivation for gambling. According to the UKGC study, most men reported that they gambled for fun. On the contrary, women claimed that they gamble to win. Also, motivations like loss, escapism, bereavement, and abandonment are more common among women.
These motivations have always been there, but the difference in today’s world is that women can access gambling platforms easily. For example, there are many online casinos and sportsbook today. Not just are these gambling centers online, but they can also be accessed easily via mobile devices. Hence, the increase in women’s participation.
The sense of safety and anonymity that online betting sites provide further encourages women to join. The UKGC study reveals that around 43% of female gamblers who played online used their smartphones in 2018, a 5% growth compared to the year before.
Problem Gambling Among Women
Although many reports show that men are more likely to be problem gamblers than women, it is still important to study the problem among women. Most female problem gamblers turned so for two reasons – boredom and loneliness. Women who resort to gambling to cure loneliness and boredom are at higher risk of becoming problem gamblers.
While men are more likely to be problem gamblers, they tend to have more knowledge about help resources than women. According to reports, women who purchased self-exclusion products are just around 1%. The UKGC and many other gambling regulators around the world are working to educate people, especially women about the help tools available to help them control their activities.