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Gambling had once been perceived to be a male-dominated activity. In some quarters, it wasn’t deemed very ladylike for women to gamble money on an activity where participants are more likely to lose than win.
Sports weren’t always considered to be a female-liked activity. Casino games could often be considered to be more male-orientated because of the perceived risk and skill that was required. It’s only been in recent times that we’ve seen women start to break the mold with games like poker and start to compete against their male counterparts.
However, those are old views. The industry has become more diverse, with findings and research papers suggesting that there are a lot more women involved nowadays than just a few years ago. While the gender split can depend on the socio-economic factors and demographics of each country, there have been instances whereby it is almost 50/50.
Female Gambling On The Rise
We’ve seen a number of changes take place, especially with the rise of technology. The introduction of online casinos, for example, has led to a greater uptake in the number of female players. Women are more inclined to play at these sites as they may not feel as judged as if they were to engage in the activity at a physical venue like a casino or betting shop.
As more women have started to play and use the sites listed on platforms that provide trusted Australian online casino reviews, much research has been undertaken about the behavioral differences and trends exhibited by each gender.
Interestingly, both genders have different ways of approaching gaming and betting.
Male Behavioral Trends To Gambling
For men, it can be argued that there can still be a cultural and historical approach to gambling being experienced. Many will start from a young age, as it can be perceived as an acceptable activity in which to engage. Many will place sports bets based on the events that take place regarding their favorite sports, teams, or athletes, as they’ve identified this as an activity that can help them to enhance the overall experience that is obtained.
In fact, studies have found that excitement and thrill-seeking are among two of the main reasons why men engage in the activity. They are also more willing to take risks with the bets that they want to make as they look to boost the entertainment that they can obtain.
Female Behaviors Towards Gambling
Perhaps still relatively new regarding its acceptable nature for women, females tend to start participating in gambling activities at a later age than their male counterparts. It was found in one study that women between the ages of 35 and 54 are more likely to gamble (32%) than any other age group.
They also don’t necessarily look to place bets for excitement or fun but rather as a means of escapism. Studies have found that they have looked at playing casino-based games as a way to improve their moods, perhaps after a tough day or when trying to escape daily demands.
Given that the trend has been to primarily use the activity as a form of escapism, it has been found that females can often play simpler games than males. At the same time, they can be found to be playing games that involve them taking less risks. Lotteries, bingo, and scratch cards have been found to be popular forms of entertainment, which helps to highlight that there may be an element of favoritism toward simple games that can help them to unwind as they don’t need to think about strategies that can be implemented as they would in other types of gambling games.
Are Female Players At More Risk Than Males?
Although the behavioral trends may not suggest it, given the way they approach the activity, females have been found to be at a greater risk than males.
Findings have revealed that they have started to become more influenced by gambling advertisements in the past decade or two, with many starting to engage in online gambling products. As mentioned, some will feel that they can play these games without the taboo or stigma – or even intimidation – that may be perceived by males if they were to play in physical venues.
However, they are still believed to be at less risk than males when it comes to problem gambling. Given that men tend to play to find ways to obtain a thrill and are prepared to make high-risk bets to experience the emotion, the behavioral trend that highlights how women use the activity to improve their mood when they need to as a relaxed entertainment form perhaps suggests they stay in control.
