The gambling industry went a long way from shady saloons to exclusive resorts and Las Vegas casinos, but some prejudice remains the same. One such misconception is that gambling is not for decent women, but a big boys club in which only men can participate. Just a quick look over marketing materials provided by some of the most popular online casinos shows how, at first glance, women are not wanted. Flashy banners with businessmen in suits smoking cigars, girls in skimpy outfits inviting players to make a deposit or invitations to special closed clubs are not very female-friendly. No wonder we tend to forget how women make a significant number of not only employees of the gaming industry, but players as well. Still, some great online casino websites for Indians decide to take a completely different approach and create casinos that will be more appealing to women.
Women in gambling are finally being taken seriously. In February 2019, the UK Gambling Commission published the results of their annual survey, and has come up with some interesting conclusions that will affect how big gambling companies perceive women.
Women Love Gambling Just As Men Do
Women in gambling face the same prejudice as women in general: they are perceived as servile, non-competitive, loyal, looking for stability, and not for excitement. Well, according to the UKGC survey, women like to bet as much as men do. In 2018, 41% of women and 51% of men gambled at least once in the month before the survey was taken. Looking at these numbers, it can only be concluded how men-oriented casinos are excluding a wide portion of their potential audience.
But, do men and women play the same games, and more importantly, do they play in the same way? Not really. While the national lottery proved to be a hit among both sexes, women tend to choose their games by using different criteria. While men traditionally still prefer sports betting (73% of them) and poker (29%), according to the research conducted by the casino giant 888.com, women play games that have a strong sense of community, like bingo (60%), or those that remind of non-violent video games, like slots (34%). The second place among female favorites, however, is a bit surprising – sports betting is no longer attractive only to men, as more and more females (40% of them to be precise) find sports interesting and attractive betting opportunities.
The reasons why we play are also surprisingly similar. 54.9% of females and 56.6% of male participants explained how they play to make money. The second reason is the fun of winning – 51.8% of women and 54.4% of men simply wanted to win. So, while it may seem that women are from Venus and men are from Mars, they play for the same reasons.
Women Are Wiser With Their Money and Their Winnings
And even though it seems how there are almost no differences when it comes to men and women, one important factor distinguishes them as potential customers. Women are keener to assess the risk properly and tend to be cold-headed and practical, while men lose their heads and chase their losses. When offered a £500 win, almost 75% of women stated how they would request a withdrawal, while only 60% of men would do so. 13% of men stated how they would use the winnings to make even more money, while only 9% of women would follow the same scenario. Also, it is important to mention how there is a distinctive age gap – older players tend to be more careful, while youngsters are ready to reinvest immediately.
Women have another strong point – they are loyal to one or two casino brands, and are willing to make smaller deposits. That way they only use the money they can afford, usually up to £10, while only 2.2% of women were willing to deposit more than £101 in a single week. This is another way to prove how women treat gambling more as a fun pastime, rather than as a serious money-making opportunity.
Can Online Casinos Adapt to Female Standards?
Online casinos are no longer a novelty in the gaming industry, but serious businesses that value every customer. More and more big casino players recognize the importance of women who were in the past often neglected as customers. Some of them have special sections of games popular amongst women, others offer special seasonal bonuses, and there are also whole online casinos fully dedicated to female gamblers. With thoughtful female gamblers, businesses can only thrive as they are loyal and will always come back after getting good customer treatment. Creating a female-friendly environment is of crucial importance for any respectable online casino that wants to survive the decade that is in front of us.