The Difference Between Male and Female Gamers

Casino games are much more widely played in 2020 thanks to the rise of mobile casinos that let people play these games from anywhere they choose and to improvements in mobile internet. One consequence of this is that more women than ever before are exploring something that has always been seen as masculine.

So do men and women play differently? Well research into male and female gambling traits has found that the answer is both yes and no.

The differences

There are certainly differences that appear to be gender-based, with one of the biggest ones being the primary reason why men and women choose to gamble. Research suggests that men play casino games because they like the feeling of excitement that they get from them and the chance to compete, whereas women gamble as a way of getting a temporary break from life stresses. This has an impact on the types of games that the sexes opt for as well, with men choosing skill games such as poker due to their classification as 'action gamblers', whereas women are classed as 'escape gamblers' and prefer luck-based games such as bingo or slots. Those who have looked closely into the variances between male and female gambling have found evidence that the social chat rooms offered at most online bingo sites make it more appealing to women as well.

Research also indicates that men are inclined to take more financial risks when gambling, with two times as many men as women betting over £500 per week in casinos. By contrast, higher numbers of women than men were betting amounts at the low end, between £1 and £10.

The similarities

Although there does seem to be some variation in gambling habits determined by gender, there are also many ways in which men and women do not really differ in how they bet. For instance, studies have shown that there is little difference in the degree of loyalty that each sex shows towards their favourite gambling sites: with 35% of women sticking with one site, compared to 29% of men. Equally, when it comes to those who use several different gambling sites, the split by gender is pretty even at 31% for women and 33% for men. The research has also revealed that the percentage of men and women who gamble on mobile devices while in their cars is exactly the same, at 8%.

When it comes to problem gambling, men are currently more likely to have this issue than women, but it seems like that gap may be closing. In Sweden, more women than men are now addicted, which is the first country where this has happened – with bingo, slots and the lottery being the chosen forms of gambling for that country's women.

The research indicates some genuine differences in male and female gambling habits, as well as many similarities, but the continuing changes in gender roles may lead to the differences becoming less pronounced.