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The world of gambling – and particularly sports betting – has always been considered to be a playground for the boys. In 2013, the percentage of gamblers who were male stood at 69% but, in 2022, things are starting to look a little different.
Betting is no longer a man’s man’s world
In 2021, 4.6 million women signed up to sportsbook betting apps in the USA; an increase of 115% from the previous year. While this may be attributed partly to the COVID-19 pandemic, during which καζινο and bricks and mortar betting shops were closed for long periods of time, there’s little doubt that this is a trend which is set to continue.
In the past, the idea of gambling conjured up one of two things – dimly lit, smoke filled betting shops populated by crusty old men or, swanky casinos patronised by men in tuxedos and women in cocktail dresses – something which was financially prohibitive for a great many people.
There are a few factors which may explain the rise in the number of women getting onboard with betting apps and, some of these are:
Holding the folding
In ‘the olden days’, women, for the most part, tended to have a lot less financial independence – many were home-makers, relying on an allowance from their husbands and, those who did work, would generally be on a relatively low salary. These days, the majority of women are financially independent and, therefore, have much more freedom regarding how they spend their money.
In the media
In recent years, popular films and TV shows such as Molly’s Game and The Queen’s Gambit have put an incredibly positive feminine spin on not just gambling but gaming and skill. This glamourisation has certainly helped to banish the idea that betting and gambling are just for the boys.
A private affair
While a man may be happy to stroll into a betting shop alone in order to place a bet or two, this is often something which would not appeal to a women who may feel intimidated by such places or may feel anxious about others witnessing their activities. Online bertting and apps offer a level of anonymity which makes the betting process a lot more comfortable for women – particularly those who are new to the world of gambling.
A woman’s touch
In recent years, online betting companies have been actively targeting female customers as they recognise that failing to do so is a huge missed opportunity in terms of revenue. They have been doing this in a number of ways, including:
Advertising
Having realised the potential of attracting women to their sites, betting companies are becoming extremely proactive about gearing their advertising toward the fairer sex. One of the ways that they do this is by hiring female celebrities for their advertising. In a 2021 advert for WynnBet, actor, Ben Affleck is joined by Guadalup Rodriguez, the mother of his partner, Jennifer Lopezin promoting the betting app. The increased use of well known women in advertisng for gambling sites is thought to be responsible for ‘normalising’ betting for women and therefore is very much a factor in the increase of popularity of these sites for women.
Businesses have long since realised that using a celebrity or well known face in their advertising is a winner – when we see a famous and respected person endorsing a brand, we automatically associate that brand with being trustworthy. Although some governments are clamping down on the use of celebrities in gambling advertising, many companies are finding their way around this through various loopholes.
Changing themes
In the past, online games had a distinctively masculine feel, with many featuring weapons and other aggression based graphics. Many online betting and gaming companies are now gearing some games toward women by using other, more feminine themes, in order to cater to an increasingly female audience.
The social network
Social media is used by 4.62 billion people around the world and, this includes a huge number of women. Women are often more proactive in keeping in touch with friends and family and, social media lends itself perfectly to this. In 2022, 53.8% of Snapchat users are women, as are 49.3% of Instagram users. Online betting companies are tapping into this by increasing their advertiising on social media platforms as well as actively targeting their efforts toward the female market.
In plain site
One of the things that betting companies are paying close attention to is their actual website. To begin with, comapnies are working to make sure that their sites are straightforward and easy to navigate. In general, women tend to spend a lot more time multiasking than men do. This often means that, if a website is complicated, women may associate this with being time consuming and, therefore, simply navigate away.
Betting companies are also taking a fresh look at the aesthetics of their websites to make them more appealing to a female audience. Simple, uncluttered websites with vibrant colours tend to have the optimum appeal for women. Additionally, some sites are adding chat features which appeal to women who enjoy betting more when it includes a social aspect.
The app
These days, many women spend a huge amount of time on their mobile phones – for work, for organising children and households, for staying in touch with friends and family and, of course, for leisure. Apps often lend themselves perfectly to a busy woman’s lifestyle – in fact, many women say that they would almost certainly spend a lot less time on betting sites if these apps were not available. The beauty of apps is that they can be accessed while on the move with just a couple of taps, making them perfect for women who are juggling busy lifestyles. Because of this, betting companies work hard to make sure that their apps are as reactive and easy to access as humanly possible in order to keep the interest of the woman on the go.
Conclusion
While some older, more established companies may have struggled to make the switch to a female audience, others have had no such trouble – because they’re owned by women. One such example is that of Denise Coates, CBE, founder and joint Chief Executive of Bet365, an online betting company which boasts in excess of 80 million customers worldwide. Launched in 2000 in North Staffordshire, Bet365 is known as a world leader in betting sites and has made its founder, 54-year-old Denise Coates, a billionaire.
Businesses like Bet365 are leading the way in treating women as their main target, rather than an afterthought. For the first time, in 2021, New Jersey based betting company, SugarHouse reported that women now outnumbered men in its user base at a ratio of 54% to 46%.
While this new equality is, of course, a good thing, it should be noted that gambling holds the same dangers for women as it does men in terms of addiction. Any kind of gambling should always be conducted responsibly – and men and women should remain mindful of the fact that a good rule of thumb is to never gamble more than you can comfortably afford to lose.
