Problem gambling and gambling addiction is no longer an issue that troubles only men. Reports show that the number of women turning into problem gamblers is fast rising. The number one reason for this is online gambling. Once available only to men, gambling is now easily available to any woman who owns a smartphone. As a result, women problem gamblers now outnumber men problem gamblers in most regulated online gambling markets.
Facts & Figures from GamCare
GamCare, a non-profit support organization for problem gamblers and gambling addicts, has shown figures indicating that women mostly gamble online and that 70% of them register at online gambling sites and download sports betting and casino gaming apps instead of personally visiting slots arcades and bookies.
The number of women reporting that they have turned into problem gamblers rose by more than a third, from 2,303 in 2014 – 14 to 3,109 in 2019. On the other hand, the number of male problem gamblers increased only by 15% during the same time frame.
Experts at Gambling Therapy, which is also a non-profit support group for compulsive gamblers, say that women find it more difficult than men to admit that they may have become problem gamblers as it is widely considered to be a men only issue.
GamCare CEO Anna Hemmings says that a lot of online gambling products target women, making them appear attractive and friendlier to females than land-based betting shops. Hemmings also speaks of how women hesitate to approach support organizations because gambling is widely considered to be a male issue. Most women with gambling problems feel too embarrassed to admit that gambling has become a problem for them.
Further elaborating on the dangers of online gambling, Hemmings says that online gambling isolates gamblers, especially when they can access online gambling products from handheld devices. Online casinos utan svensk spellicens, Bankid & Spelpaus (Swedish women use these terms to find unlicensed casinos without limitation to play) can totally take over a gambler’s life, and family members and friends hardly notice that anything is wrong.
Let us now look at how online gambling has contributed to the rise in female problem gamblers in Sweden.
Most Gambling Addicts in Sweden are Women
A new study has surprised the industry by presenting how most of the gambling addicts in Sweden are female. Figures from the Swedish public health authority show that 64% of the 45,000 people addicted to gambling in Sweden are women. This percentage has increased more than three times from 2015, when only 18% of the country’s problem gamblers were women.
Prof. Anders Hakansson, an expert at Lund University, said that the rise in the number of female problem gamblers in the country could be because of the rise in the number of online casinos. Pointing out how the gambling market has changed a lot in recent years, he said that a lot of gambling now takes place at online casinos and online sports betting sites. He also said that women who seek support for problem gambling are more likely to admit that they gamble online than men do.
Surprisingly, the survey also showed that the total number of gamblers has decreased since 2015, when the survey was last conducted. However, the number of problem gamblers has doubled and half of those players were women.
Why Women Gamble
So why do women gamble? It would be wrong to conclude that they gamble for the same reasons as men. In fact, women gamble for totally different reasons:
Easily Accessible
Gambling is now easily accessible to women. Before the arrival of the Internet, women had to personally visit the male-dominated areas of arcades and bookies. It was not only a time-consuming procedure, but was also not woman friendly. In fact, women visiting bookies for purposes of gambling was frowned upon.
But online casinos and online sports betting sites have changed all that. Women can now quietly access online casinos and online bookies on their smartphones, and family members and friends need never know. As previously pointed out, 70% of the women who gamble have accounts at online gambling sites and use native gaming apps.
Stress Buster
While men gamble for thrills, excitement, and winnings, women gamble to beat the stress of living. Liz Karter, who specializes in female gambling addiction, says that women gamble to reduce stress, to escape, to soothe, and to get distracted from the realities of life.
Further elaborating on the subject, Dr. Henrietta Bowden-Jones, the founder director of National Problem Gambling Clinic, says that women gamble because it reduces pain and soothes them. Many of them start gambling to get their minds away from the responsibilities they face as care givers.
Many female problem gamblers refuse to ask for help because they don’t want the authorities to take their children away from them. Some of them have stolen money or embezzled funds to fund their gambling habits and are afraid that they will be put in prison.
Late Start
Although women start gambling later in life, they fall prey to problem gambling faster. This is because of their choice of games. Women prefer playing high-stakes, instant win games such as slots and bingo not just because of their large jackpots for also because of the socialization these games allow.
Relationships
Many times, a woman gambles to escape problems related to her relationships. She sees gambling as a solution to a relationship that does not satisfy her needs. Or the relationship may be fraught with problems and she feels that she can escape from those problems by playing mobile slots.
