During the pandemic, there has been a large influx of new players to online casinos. This concerns people who may have been introduced to online gambling for the first time, possibly out of boredom or lack of a social life, but also people who had been familiar with gambling in land-based casinos for some time and sought their salvation online. Now that the new gambling law has come into effect in the Netherlands since October 1, there is more room for women to delve (further) into the online gambling world. In this article we will look at the gender gap that exists between male and female gamblers and how the new gambling law is slowly closing it.
Many gamblers are traditionally male and this also fits into the idealistic image we often have of casinos. Men around the poker table with cigars and a mountain of bets in the middle. As a woman you are often on the sidelines and you are more of a 'lucky charm', someone who can blow the dice, for some extra luck. But now that technology makes more and more possible, women have also found their way to the online casino. Studies have shown that women do not gamble for the same reasons that men do. Men are more likely to be motivated by the status, winnings, and "rush" the game brings, while women are more likely to gamble to escape reality, relieve stress, or out of loneliness or boredom. Despite the fact that women often only start gambling at a later age (more women than men are active in the age group between 45-64 years), women unfortunately develop gambling problems more quickly.
In the Netherlands there is already an increase in the number of people who have reported an addiction. In a conversation with the NOS, Fred Sleutel, director of gambling addiction institution Hervitas, states:“We have seen more than a quarter more influx of people with a gambling addiction since the start of the crisis”. Also as a debt counselor, Mr. Walid Somers is a growing problem in the financial situation of many people, with an increase especially noticeable in the professions that are tied to working from home (almost everyone). Given the motivation women have to gamble, e.g. loneliness or boredom, the corona pandemic was and is an excellent time to seek refuge in the online casino world. A shocking 95% of women who gamble are escape gamblers, often playing simple games such as slots, video poker, lotteries or bingo. Partly due to the stigma that exists in the male-dominated land-based casinos and betting shops, the anonymity of online gambling is very appealing to women.
In a Guardian article, gambler Nancy told us:“I would never have started betting if I couldn't have done it secretly on my phone. I had hundreds of different online gambling accounts. When I ran out of credit, I just went to another site and opened a new one.” Other women also indicated that because of the anonymity of playing online, the ease of keeping it secret and the simplicity of opening new accounts, their gaming behavior quickly got out of hand. Despite the fact that many online gambling sites are licensed and ensure the safety of their players by detecting risky gaming behavior, many gambling addicts will also regularly have to deal with casinos without Cruks (Central Register Exclusion of Gambling). Without proper licenses or a regulatory body, players will not be protected from themselves and debts can easily mount. Gambling sites without licenses or without Cruks, such as the casinos from this list, do not have to be accountable to anyone and, on the contrary, motivate players extra, with attractive bonuses, to spend more money. For many women, however, these kinds of tactics often have adverse consequences.
While more and more women are finding their way to online casinos, that doesn't mean anything in the gender gap has changed in the industry. The gap may be closing slowly, but it is still important for many women that they can maintain their anonymity, especially when things get out of hand. The intimidating aura of physical casinos therefore continues to exist. We can therefore question the emancipation of women in the casino world, but we must also ask ourselves whether women are open to sharing their gambling behavior with the world. There will only be real equality if there are equal numbers of men and women who gamble and the risk of gambling addiction for women decreases.
Normalizing female gamblers will help women to speak openly about their (online) gaming behaviour. When they can be open about it, they can often seek help more quickly and easily before the proverbial dam is broken. Despite the fact that women already seek help more often than men, the problem has not yet been solved. It must be recognized that there is a difference between male and female gambling behavior and interventions must be tailored to suit the individual. In the Netherlands, the new law on games of chance takes into account risky behavior and casinos with a license must adhere to the rules that protect players. As far as we are concerned, women and men should both be able to enjoy (online) games in the casino undisturbed and openly and we should also receive the right help, each for himself, if we go too far.
If you're having trouble gambling sign up for Cruks and give yourself a play break to get things back on track.
