The North American gambling industry has traditionally been male-dominated, both in terms of leadership and customer demographics, with men representing 70% of gambling industry leadership roles.
Although there isn’t a large gender gap in most gambling products, participants in sports betting, the fastest growing gambling product of the day, are 70% male. As more countries legalize online gambling (including sports betting), continued growth will require recognizing women as a powerful, untapped market, “such as in the viral success of the Stanley Quencher Tumbler.”
Data: Gaming Industry Workforce Diversity Report via American Gaming Association
New Variations on Gambling Bringing Women into the Fold
More women are gaining the financial independence necessary to engage in gambling, and so are being actively courted by the gambling industry in what some have termed “the feminization of gambling.” The rise in online gambling and the development of female-focused gambling communities such as Bet She Wins have made gambling more accessible to women than ever before, with female participation on the rise at the player level. The American Gaming Association estimates that 26% of sports bettors are women, with a 51% increase from 2023 to 2024 in women wagering on the Super Bowl. In gambling leadership, organizations like Global Gaming Women are opening doors for women by providing networking and mentorship opportunities to over 7,500 active members, of which 24% are senior manager level and above.
It Is Not All Fun and Gambling
However, gambling does pose a significant risk of addiction with serious negative impacts for the player and their dependents. Most operators have responsible gambling programs in place to mitigate this risk, yet tend to overlook the way gender impacts susceptibility. Women tend to prefer more private forms of gambling via apps or websites, which can obscure the moment when their gambling transitions from casual to problematic and prevent others from recognizing that there is an issue. Women also face higher levels of stigma from being seen as responsible caretakers, making them less likely to directly seek help for themselves directly. The impact of problem gambling on family members, particularly children, can also extend beyond financial harm to the risk of physical harm and death. There are some cases where children have been left in hot cars while their mothers gambled in a casino.
Increasing Awareness of Addiction and Financial Health
We already know that women will play a key role in the continued growth of the gambling industry. For sustainable growth, the industry must adopt a holistic approach to gender-inclusive gambling policies. Responsible gambling programs, messaging, and product development should consider how gender might impact the success of their strategies rather than simply focusing on young men. Empowering women with more tools to understand responsible gambling can also have a multiplier effect, as they will be better equipped to have conversations with younger children, whom studies now show have higher rates of problem gambling than adults. Because I work in the field of responsible gambling, I am already having conversations with my six-year-old about what safe play looks like, as best I can. I hope that in the future, if she chooses to gamble as entertainment, she will have the tools to keep her gambling fun. Resources like women-preferred meetings in support groups like Gamblers Anonymous and podcasts like “The Broke Girl Society” are steps in the right direction.
Companies that recognize and tap into the power of their female audience will be better positioned for long-term success and, if they’re lucky, perhaps even success on the same level as the Stanley tumbler.
This article was written by a guest contributor, K. Maseli.
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