How Gambling Habits Differ Between Genders

Gambling is as old as the human race. From the first primitive gambling games developed in paleolithic, to glamorous venues of Las Vegas and interactive online casinos – it seems that everyone wants to meet with Lady Luck and enjoy the thrill of a good game of cards or roulette.

Gambling is a hobby that is popular among younger generations who play casino games and place bets on their mobile homes, as well as among the elderly who opt for special casino cruises to enjoy their favorite pastime.

But, while every age group has some specific preferences when it comes to gambling, the most intriguing researches are dedicated to differences between male and female gamblers. Are women from Venus and men from Mars when it comes to gambling? Let’s take a look!

Who Gambles More?

When it comes to gambling, many specialized websites such as CasinoHEX.in and 888, one of the biggest gambling companies, do their own research to understand their audience better. 888 did an extensive survey and concluded how men and women make the same portion of their audience. 43.8% of their audience are women, and 56.2% are men.

One of the reasons men gamble more is that they are not as burdened with housework as women are and have more free time at their hands. Also, gambling among men is socially acceptable in many societies, while at the same time female gamblers are considered to be women of low morale, thus meaning that many women will hide their gambling tendencies. Also, as always, where there is nurture, there is nature as well – men are simply more prone to risky behaviors such as gambling, and frequently seek an adrenaline boost in their activities.

Still, in the past few years, researches noticed an important change in casino marketing. Gambling companies are becoming more friendly towards female-audiences and tend to tone down their marketing messages that used to be borderline sexist.

What Type of Games do Women Play?

The research named A Study of Gambling in Victoria, executed by a group of scientists Australia delivered some interesting results regarding types of games women and men prefer.

In general, men prefer strategic games, also known as games of skill, such as blackjack, poker, sports betting and race betting, while women prefer non-strategic games such as slots, roulette, and bingo. Male gamblers play high skill games, such as poker, twice as often as female gamblers do. Women will likely be involved in scratch cards and lottery games that are widely socially acceptable, and in many societies, aren’t even considered gambling. They will also frequently participate in charity gambling (for example, in bingo clubs), and will enjoy slot games with fun characters.

Even though the popularity of sports betting among women is growing, they still prefer to bet in non-sport categories. Whether it’s Eurovision song contest, Oscars, MTV Awards or Grammys – women will rather place their bets there than in traditional categories involving football and basketball. IT is important to understand how this data was collected in 2008, and many trends and preferences have changed in the meantime.

The Reasons Why We Gamble

According to a study conducted by the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, men usually gamble for general entertainment, while women gamble to support charities, relieve stress, loneliness, and boredom. For women, gambling is often a way to spend time with their friends, and in bingo chat rooms.

The National Council on Problem Gambling from Washington issued a report where they mention how women gamble more in times when they are experiencing great changes in lifestyle, such as retirement, loss, or divorce. They often have a family history of gambling, and to it secretly. Women start gambling later in life, usually after the workload around the house is smaller, and will engage in fewer types of games.

Also, let’s not forget how gambling companies finally figured out that women make a significant part of their audience. Jill Heater and David Patton write: “Interestingly, within the past decade, gambling has become more feminized and socially acceptable for women. Past gambling domains, such as racetracks, sports venues, and betting shops, were more masculine and generally less attractive to women.”

Women Deposit Less, But are Loyal Customers

One of the most interesting conclusions of the 888 research is that men and women approach depositing in a different manner. 51.8% of 888 female users tend to deposit only between one and ten pounds per week, compared to 35.9% men. Only 19% of women are willing to deposit as much as 20 GBP, while men do it more often – 25.4% of them will deposit that much. Men place big deposits twice as much as women. Big bets are considered those higher than 500 GBP.

On the other hand, women tend to be loyal to a single brand of the casino, thus making them long-term customers. At the same time, men prefer to play at multiple establishments at the same time. 35% of women included in 888’s survey were loyal only to their platform, and only 31% of participants were playing in two casinos. 29% of men are playing in a single casino, while 33% of them play in multiple venues.

Even though women deposit less, they probably won’t be looking for another casino, once they register with the one they like. On the other hand, men are always on the hunt and are looking for a better offer or a bigger bonus.

Different Approach to Gambling

Even though men and women gamble equally often, they do it in different ways and for different reasons. For men, it is often a way to make some money out of their knowledge of sports or poker, to build their reputation and feel the thrill. For women, gambling is often a mere pastime, a hobby that helps them interact with others and helps forget about their problems. Even though they gamble smaller amounts, they are often perceived as a valuable asset in making revenue, as they tend to be loyal to a single brand.

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