Online casino and bingo sites and apps have brought tremendous innovation to games that are favoured by many lady gamblers. Starting with bingo which is very popular online in the UK, women bingo players log into their favourite online bingo sites and play with their friends. Online slots, scratch cards, instant win and arcade games which are extremely popular amongst women have also received a massive push in innovation and investment by online software developers and operators. So every lady gambler in the UK can just log into a casino and access thousands of the best games from her computer, smartphone or tablet.
Women vs. Men Gamblers
Like men, women enjoy gambling for fun, excitement, competiveness, socialising and of course the prospect of winning money. Still, there are differences in the way men and women approach gambling. These differences come from different levels of comfort when betting and taking risks, attention span and attention to detail, a different thought process and the social concept of ‘manly’ as opposed to more ‘feminine’ games which lead lady punters to pick and learn different games than their male punter counterparts.
The following are a few key differences between female and male gamblers, but it is still important to keep in mind that these are general characteristics and every gambler has his/her individual preferences and habits.
Games Played
One of the most noticeable differences between men and women gamblers is that women are more likely to choose lower-risk games that are based mostly on luck (such scratch cards, lottery, bingo and to a degree slots) whereas men gamblers are more drawn to games that are considered games of skill (such as poker and casino table games) and are considered riskier.
Also whilst ladies like to play against the dealer, men prefer the competition with other players. While women are more comfortable with smaller, fixed bets and odds, men seem to like larger wagers which are not fixed. However gradually more women gamblers are taking to blackjack, poker and more casino game tables, breaking the gender conventions and stereotypes that have been associated with gambling for decades, if not centuries.
Spending
Ladies tend to spend less in the casino and take fewer risks on their bets. Some say that this is due to women bettors being more pessimistic about the odds of winning than their male counterparts, whilst other say that female gamblers are actually more realistic than men as they understand that the odds are statistically against them, as opposed to overly-optimistic men that mistakenly think they can beat the odds with their strategies and tactics.
Reaction to Loss
The way bettors react to their wins and losses is one place where gender differences are pretty evident. Whilst women punters react emotionally, men tend to react with more aggression. After a big win, men will tend to bet more aggressively and take more risks, whilst women gamblers are more likely to cash out.
Playing Times
Both female and male gamblers wager at different hours of the day, especially with online and mobile technology giving access to remote gambling around the clock. But the gender difference in this case becomes apparent when considering the factors that affect the gambling times and frequency. Whilst men tend to play for many hours at a time and postpone their other duties and obligations, female gamblers will play for shorter periods whilst completing their chores and commitments.
Online vs Land-Based Gambling
Although still a smaller portion of gamblers overall, female gamblers tend to play online a lot more than male gamblers for several reasons. First, online gambling offers the flexibility women need to work it around their busy schedules. In addition, women feel more comfortable gambling online because of the anonymity which some women want to keep. Lastly, female gamblers sometimes feel intimidated by male gamblers who try to assert themselves at the game tables, so an online gambling sites provide women with a safer environment with less distraction and without men trying to impress them.