The issue of gender and online gambling is rather an interesting one. The fact is that both men and women do it. However, how many of each gender participate, and does the general level and area of their participation differ? Also, how are the genders treated by the casinos?
The second question may be the most logical one to start with, since we can begin to address it via a cursory view of several sites. It has already been mentioned that both men and women gamble online. Still, many sites seem to assume that their visitors are male—to be specific, heterosexual males. This is demonstrated by the large number of casinos whose designs feature attractive women displaying varying degrees of coyness. It is true that other sites take a more gender-neutral approach by featuring an attractive heterosexual couple, but we hardly see casino designs tailored specifically for women, perhaps featuring an attractive man.
Is this skewed approach justified in any way, or should we just label the best internet casino owners sexist pigs? Empirical data does indeed show that men do gamble online much more than women do. Furthermore, the women who do gamble online sometimes behave rather differently than men do. In general, men tend to concentrate relatively more on the playing/competing/winning aspect of online casinos. Women, on the other hand, generally focus more than men do on meeting and interacting with other players online.
Given this data, it does make sense to put more energy into the “larger” market, i.e. men. It also makes some sense to take differing approaches to promoting online gambling to the two genders. For instance, there are many sites which claim to be specifically oriented towards women.
How are women’s sites different? Well, the design is one very obvious point. Women-oriented gambling sites tend to be dominated by pastel colors and flower motifs. They are easy to contrast with “regular” sites that tend to have dark colors like black, maroon, and forest green. The community features at women’s casinos also tend to be relatively better developed. The presence of female-oriented sites might seem like a great step forward for online feminism, but on the other hand, the stereotyped femininity of the visual design might seem like a step back.
Women also seem to like certain games better. Bingo, for example, is often used to jump-start women’s casinos. Casino owners use bingo as a draw, but then offer other games for lady visitors to try, as well. This seems to have been a good way to increase the size and devotion of the female market in online gambling.
However, this trend also seems to have a dark side. The issue of compulsive or problematic online gambling seems to be affecting more and more women, as was remarked upon by at least one major British newspaper. Actually, that aspect of gender issues in gambling might be the topic of further inquiry: what are the connections between the gender of a problem gambler and the type of therapy the person gets, or should get? It is another sign that the issue of gender and gambling is ever-evolving, and needs further research for us to understand it better.