Nowadays, people from around the world have access to a wide range of gambling options, both online and land-based. A lot more players are interested in gambling, so it is no surprise that the number of female and male gamblers is higher than before. Although most of them usually like the same things, the stats reveal this isn’t always true.
According to www.uebas.net, around 72% of sports bettors in the US in early 2024 were men, whereas women accounted for 28%. Surveys in the UK reveal that close to 51% of men have participated in some form of gambling, whereas the percentage among women is 43%. So, similar to other parts of the world, the majority of people who take part in gambling activities are men.
“These were just some examples of the differences between male and female gamblers. It’s true that the gambling industry is dominated by men, but some stats are much closer than you think”, said Kris from NB.
There’s a lot to talk about, and the results you’re about to see will surprise you, so let’s get started. Keep in mind that the stats might be different from country to country.
#1 The number of women who gamble increases every year
More and more people take part in various gambling activities. It is true that gambling is dominated by men in almost all areas, but the stats reveal that things may change.
A survey done in the UK between 2015 and 2022 shows that the number of female gamblers increases every year. In 2015/16, for example, around 6k people took part in the survey, and 80.8% were men, compared to 19.2% of women.
In 2016/17, 81% of 8113 people were male, whereas the female percentage dropped to 18.9%. Interestingly, the percentage of women who gambled increased drastically the following year.
If we check the stats for 2017/18, we can see that it was 78% male vs. 21% female. In 2018/19, female gamblers increased to 24.6% vs 75% male. The situation in 2019/20 is similar, with 75% male and 24.6% female.
The last survey was conducted in 2021/2022, and 29.5% of the 7000 participants were female compared to 70% male. It seems that gambling companies have changed their marketing strategies to attract female gamblers, and the results prove it. More and more operators target female gamblers with specific games, different bonuses, and various features.
#2 Generally speaking, male gamblers dominate online gambling, with more than 82%
There are way more online bookmakers and casinos nowadays than before, so it’s no surprise that a lot more people use them. Although some of them are female, the stats reveal that more than 82% of people who use those places are male.
Among the reasons why more men use iGaming operators than women is because of sports betting. It’s true that there are many online casinos, but most sites became available in the last couple of years. Prior to that, bookmakers dominated the industry. As we have mentioned earlier, sports betting is not most women’s cup of tea, so most were not interested in iGaming.
Considering the way the gambling industry changes, it’s a matter of time before the stats shift. With that said, some of the biggest gambling markets in the world, such as the one in Australia, are dominated by men. Despite the fact that women account for 51% of the population, they represent 46% of gamblers. Men, on the other hand, are responsible for 54% of gamblers despite being a total of 49% of the population.
#3 UK male gamblers prefer bookmakers and casinos, whereas female gamblers choose bingo & others
The UK plays a very important role in the gambling business because it has one of the largest markets in the world. According to many statistics, the country has the second-largest market after the US.
One interesting research from Gambleware shows that around 36% of people who use bookmakers are male. Only 10% of female gamblers choose these places, and the percentage in casinos is even lower (6%). In comparison, 9% of men gambles there.
That said, the research shows a different side to bingo. Six percent of women have participated in such activities, whereas only 1% of men do. The situation is similar in adult entertainment centers, online services, and family entertainment centers. Some of these places clearly focus on female gamblers, whereas others are just not that interesting for most male players.
#4 Only 5% of women wager on eSports
Esports and Esports betting, in general, have exploded in popularity recently. A lot more people wager on them than before, but all stats prove that those things have way more fans among males than females. In fact, recent studies showcase that 75% of all esports bets are placed by men.
Of course, there are differences between countries, so it is possible to find more female eSports fans in some parts of the world. Generally speaking, however, women are usually responsible for around 5% of the eSports bets.
Like most other trends, this is also prone to change because of the growing popularity in women’s Esports. A lot of the world’s largest organizations have female divisions, so it’s a matter of time before they become more popular among bettors.
#5 How Gambling Problems Affect Men and Women
Sadly, the growing number of gamblers also means that more people have problems. Problem gambling is nothing new, and it has been here for many years, but more and more people are affected by it one way or another.
There’s a very interesting study from 2024 courtesy of cdpress that reveals many details about the consequences of problem gambling. For example, around 46% of people who had issues with it lost relatives. The percentage among men is 50.57%, whereas women come second with 43.52%.
The situation in the job-loss department is also similar between men and women. Around 33% of people suffer from it, 35% of which are male and 30% female.
In the area of borrowing money to gamble or paying gambling debts, 80% (!) of people have had this issue. It seems like this affected 80.46% of men and 79.63% of women.
There are certain sections related to gambling problems that affect more women than men. For example, 84.26% of women took a credit card advance compared to 70.11% of men. Also, 30.56% filed for bankruptcy, whereas 26.44% of men did the same.
Around 56.92% of people affected by problem gambling also had problems with the law and committed crimes. What surprised us is that the percentage among women is 58.33%, higher than for men (55.17%).
#6 Women are more affected by gambling ads
The situation with gambling ads is very intriguing, especially in some parts of the world. In some countries, operators had the freedom to advertise what they had everywhere, even on TV. However, other jurisdictions have strict rules, so companies must be more innovative.
Although gambling ads affect many people, recent studies from the University of Bristol and IFF Research reveal interesting data. According to them, women are much more likely to start gambling because of an ad.
Aside from the general ads you can find everywhere, female players are also attracted by various celebrity endorsements. This is probably one of the big reasons why a lot of sites work with very popular names. You can find famous people like Drake, Snoop Dogg, Usain Bolt, and more.
What’s interesting about the report is that it also includes specific steps that can be taken to provide better support for women. One of those steps is to have certain gender-specific services.
Conclusion
Despite the fact that the stats are different from country to country, here is what we need to remember:
- Men continue to be more involved in gambling
- There are more female gamblers than before
- When it comes down to problem gambling and issues related to it, both men and women have problems
The gambling landscape changes fast, so it will be very interesting to revisit this analysis in a few years. Some countries have taken decisive measures to limit iGaming, whereas others are promoting it more than ever.
