Gambling has likely been around since humans became aware of the concept.
However, the earliest, most solid evidence of gambling games dates back to a six-sided die originating from 3,000 BC in Mesopotamia.
So, while people have been playing games of chance for millennia, it is interesting to research how and if gender affinities toward this pastime have evolved.
That is something that gets talked about now more than ever.
Given that gambling addiction and the rise of non GamStop casinos are currently super popular topics in UK’s betting industry.
Much of this interest stems from a House of Lords report published in July 2020 titled – Gambling Harm – Time for Action.
It states that half of UK adults gamble at least once a month and that over 300,000 Brits can get categorized as gambling addicts.
Furthermore, it is common knowledge that treatment options for women who face this compulsion are far more limited in Britain.
Below, a breakdown follows regarding the role that gender plays in gambling addiction and if the UK offers equal treatment opportunities to males and females.
Conventional Perceptions of Gender & Gambling
The traditional perception of gambling is that it is a male activity.
That is not without foundation, as according to some older estimates, less than 20% of people on casino floors are female.
A 2013 study conducted at the University of California by its Department of Psychology produced results that showed that men are twice more likely to engage in gambling activities than women.
Also, the probability of them developing a compulsion towards them is three times higher.
However, in the modern age, with online casinos being so widespread, women’s gambling participation is rapidly increasing.
That is so because accessibility is no longer an issue, and internet platforms aim to target women by hosting more undemanding products that appeal to them.
Operators also study data, and they know that men gravitate more towards games that they perceive are beatable via a mixture of skill and instinct.
They more easily succumb to psychological phenomena like the gambler’s fallacy, the false notion that they may be due for a win.
Women are more averse to taking risks.
Thus, they prefer to sticking to simple games, where they believe that luck is the sole deciding factor.
They also tend to make smaller bets and not take as many chances.
The industry understands this, and it successfully targets them with straightforward slots and bingo games.
How Gambling Motivations Differ Between Men & Women
The essential motivation for gambling is the desire to win money.
There is no doubt about that. Yet, that is only the tip of the iceberg of reasons why people partake in this activity, particularly concerning the male sex.
Most men have inherent wiring that makes them seek thrills.
The biological explanation for this is that their frontal lobes do not entirely develop until they enter their 20s.
That is the part of the brain that controls judgment. Psychology-wise, men are more likely to seek rewards from different outside sources, and they have a far more competitive nature.
Also, some do not gamble merely to attain profits.
They do so to eliminate a negative self-image or to curb anxiety and depression.
Women, as a rule of thumb, are far more conservative creatures in terms of social behavior.
Psychologists claim that the probability of negative outcomes causes higher anxiety levels in women than in men, even though women have a more optimistic nature.
Research also shows that when under stress, men take more chances, while women will take fewer.
In general, women see gambling as an escapist hobby more than anything, a way to escape the mundane nature of everyday life.
They do not perceive it as a money-making opportunity the same way as men do.
Hurdles in Women Receiving Treatment
In 2018, the NHS released a health survey that revealed that only 0.3% of women in England have some gambling compulsion.
Many addiction experts found this percentage unrealistic.
Among these was Breakeven, a problem gambling charity that stated that it believes that more and more British women are partaking in this pastime since the stigma associated with them doing so is more or less gone.
Furthermore, only a small number of those that do, seek help, as less than 30% of callers to the National Gambling Helpline are women.
Given that females are less likely to develop into gambling addicts, centers that provide help for those that have this issue cater their services more towards men.
Those employed by these establishments have little to no experience helping women overcome this problem.
That is a massive stumbling block on their road to recovery.
Are Males More Likely to Search for Unlicensed Casinos?
Due to all this problem gambling talk that has recently come up, the UKGC has made efforts to create a safer online gambling environment for Brits.
They have done so by incorporating the mandatory self-exclusion scheme called GamStop at all UKGC-licensed sites.
They have introduced measures that make the online slot experience less intense.
Those two occurrences have caused many UK players to seek out gambling sites not on GamStop, or non UK gambling sites.
These are internationally licensed platforms that exist outside the GamStop network.
Since men are more likely to take chances, they accounted for most Brits that have moved on to play at reputable casinos not on GamStop.
Again, betting sites not on GamStop get regulated by international overseeing bodies, so they are not unlicensed platforms.
However, considering how many male British residents jumped to them, it only stands to reason that this gender would be more inclined to play at unregulated sites if they find ones that offer favorable terms.
To Wrap Up
Women’s participation in online gambling is continuously growing.
Factors that are massively contributing to this are the rise of female-centric gambling sites and the disappearance of the stigma connected to this gender enjoying this pastime.
However, as more women get into this hobby, the number of females that develop a compulsion toward this activity will also rise.
That is an inescapable fact, despite them being biologically less prone than men to do so.
No matter what gender is participating in this activity, anyone that feels like they can no longer practice impulse control when betting should instantly seek help.
It is paramount that everyone that enjoys online casinos wagers responsibly, not overstepping their means.