Where Have All the Ladies Gone?

The feminist movement helped to bring about enormous changes in the role of women in society. More women are in the workforce now than ever before, and recent studies have shown that the division of housework, traditionally a woman's sphere, has grown far more equitable in recent decades. This trend to egalitarianism extends to other spheres of activity, too, including such traditionally male spheres as casino gambling.

It's not that women haven't been able to go to casinos; rather, for a long time, women were the ornaments on the arms of male gamblers. Just think back to James Bond at the Baccarat table, with a Bond Girl on his arm... Well, it seems that the Bond Girls weren't just watching the games. They were learning the rules, too, and now they want to play.

In a recent survey in the UK, it was found that the percentage of women who have gambled online grew from 6 to 6.5 from 2006 to 2007. Half a percentage point sounds insignificant, but it translates to many thousands of new women gamblers. Online gambling has found a new target audience.

That the online gambling establishments are trying to attract women to the games is clear. Sites like Party Bingo are marketed exclusively towards women. Surveys have shown that women gamblers prefer slot games and bingo to the riskier, more complex, table games that male players frequent, and the women-oriented sites reflect this preference.

When online casinos first got started, their customer base was, like their land-based counterparts, mostly male. Like so much else in the modern world, this is changing, and the changes are for the better. An increasing diversity among online casino players will lead to an increased diversity in the games, the bonus offers, and the promotions as the casinos work to pull in the new players. Women gamblers will have a lot to offer, beyond a predilection for slot games, and as the online gambling community adapts to the new demographics, everyone will benefit.