An Empirical Study of Gender Differences in Online Gambling

Abstract

Gambling has typically been considered a predominately male activity. However, recent prevalence surveys have shown greater numbers of females are now gambling. Much of the gambling literature suggests online gamblers are more likely to be male, and that problem gamblers are more likely to be male. Males and females are also likely to be gambling for different reasons and have a preference for different gambling activities.. Little is known about the pattern of play among female online gamblers. The aim of this survey was to develop a better profile of female online gamblers and to examine any gender differences between males and females in terms of how and why they gamble online, their frequency of online gambling, patterns of play, as well as attitudes to online gambling. The survey was posted on 32 international online gambling websites and was completed by 975 online gamblers (including 175 female online gamblers). Chi-square tests of association were conducted to examine the association between gender and a range of variables. The results showed that females had been gambling online for a shorter duration of time than males, had much shorter online gambling sessions, different motivations for gambling online (i.e. to practice for free, to spend less money and out of boredom), and experienced online gambling differently to males, with increased feelings of guilt and shame for gambling online. This suggests there is still a stigma around gambling particularly evident among females in this study. The findings indicate that clinicians and treatment providers need to be aware of these potential gender differences in online gambling to develop appropriately tailored interventions.

From Adolescent to Adult Gambling: An Analysis of Longitudinal Gambling Patterns in South Australia

“…For both of these activities, the proportion of males who reported involvement was disproportionately higher during adulthood than during adolescence and was consistent with the view that these activities still remain much more popular amongst young men than younger women. These findings are generally consistent with the results obtained in other Australian studies (e.g., S.A. Department for Families and Communities, 2005) and very likely reflect broader gender differences in activity preferences, motivations for gambling, and preferences for different gambling environments (Delfabbro, 2000;Delfabbro & LeCouteur, 2010;McCormack, Shorter & Griffiths, 2013).…”

Gambling and Video Game Playing Among Youth

“…Research has consistently shown that males are more likely than females to gamble (both offline and online) and have higher scores on problem gambling screens (Bakken, Gotestam, Grawe, Wenzel, & Oren, 2009;Barnes et al, 2010;Bhullar et al, 2012;Derevensky & Gupta, 2000a;Jackson et al, 2008;McCormack, Shorter, & Griffiths, 2014;Olason et al, Gambling and Video Game Playing 23 2011). Males and females also differ in their choices of gambling activities, with males preferring casino games, cards, horse/dog racing, sports betting and women preferring lotteries, slot machines, and bingo (Hing & Breen, 2001;LaPlante, Nelson, LaBrie, & Shaffer, 2006;Potenza et al, 2001;Wenzel & Dahl, 2009).…”

“…Researchers exploring gender differences in online gambling found that compared to males, females were significantly more likely to first gamble online before they were 24 years old (McCormack et al, 2014). Online gambling may be less intimidating, women can play anonymously, and practice using free sites to improve their skills.…”

“…Online gambling may be less intimidating, women can play anonymously, and practice using free sites to improve their skills. McCormack et al (2014) reported that females were more likely to play free online gambling games than males, and were more likely than males to endorse being attracted to online gambling because of the ability to spend less money. Women also report finding online gambling safer and less intimidating than some offline venues (Griffiths, 2001).…”

An examination of participation in online gambling activities and the relationship with problem gambling

“…The regular gamblers who participated in online bingo, and online fruit (slot) machines were significantly more likely to be female than male. For a more detailed analysis of the gender differences in online gambling refer to McCormack, Shorter and Griffiths (2012).…”