Recent estimates suggest that there are now well over a billion people worldwide that regularly gamble, and this figure has risen exponentially in recent years thanks to the increase in online gambling – with the first online casino launching in 1996. Accessibility to online casino sites is now easier than ever thanks to improvements in mobile apps, and with technology only improving, expect online casino sites to expand their reach worldwide in the coming years.
Despite figures showing that the number of men that gamble is still disproportionately high compared to women (69%-36%), the latter figure is rising, which is in part due to the growth in online casinos. So, why are more and more women choosing to use online casinos? And can this trend maintain its upward curve in the near future?
An alternate space to land-based
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Moving online has encouraged more women to gamble for a variety of reasons, one of these is that online casinos provide an alternative space for women to take part in gambling, in comparison to the historically male-dominated environments land-based casinos present. Though not as much the case today, online sites such as wildz.com/ca/, for example, still provide this space, and allow players to gamble from the comfort of their homes. They also provide hand guides that allow players to practice and research before they play for real money, something which brick-and-mortar venues do not necessarily provide.
Moving online has also provided women with a sense of anonymity. Whilst men tend to prefer sports betting and poker, women generally play more bingo, slots, lottery, and jackpot games, something that lends itself well to online casino gambling, with many sites focusing their attention on these sorts of games.
Changes in marketing strategies
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There is little doubt that online casinos have taken notice of recent societal changes and that this has resulted in more women gambling. Gambling companies are now marketing their products to specifically attract women to their sites. For example, popular celebrities are being brought in by online casino sites to market their products, and this has brought about more interest from a female perspective into online casino games.
As well as this, online casino games are being adapted to attract women. Traditional slot games are being enhanced using modern graphics, and games are being adjusted to replicate popular tv shows. The sense of familiarity that gamblers get when playing these games having seen them on television, leads to repeated visits to casino sites.
In short, women are now paying closer attention to gambling than ever before, and this has been realised by online casino sites. In the UK for example, female gamblers now account for almost 40% of all gambling activity – a huge jump from 10-15 years ago. Whilst games like bingo, and to a lesser extent the lottery, have always proved popular amongst women, games such as roulette, blackjack, and in particular, online slots, have seen a significant recent upturn in interest from female gamblers.
With no obvious reason why this trend is likely to dip, expect more marketing from casino sites in the coming years that specifically targets women. In the future, this should lead to an even greater representation and participation from women in the industry.
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