Everyone who’s been paying attention to the online gambling industry in the last few years has noticed that way more people are interested in the hobby than before. This is evident in some parts of the world, such as the UK, where more and more people like gambling. Even though the majority of gambling fans are male, there are also a lot of female gamblers.
In fact, if we look at the data from www.simon-shaheen.com, we will see that around 56% of women in Scotland have been involved in gambling in the last 12 months. What’s even more interesting is that this percentage is around 16% higher than the average for Great Britain. These results may come as a surprise to some, but the trend is for the number of women who gamble to keep rising in the next couple of years.
Many of you may wonder why more and more women like gambling and what they play, so let’s dive in.
Why do over half of women in Scotland and nearly 40% in other parts of Great Britain gamble?
There is no arguing that a lot of people are trying to find an answer to this question, and for a good reason. Gambling is something that’s always been dominated by men, no matter if we’re talking about sports betting or casinos. However, it seems like this may not be the case in the future because the number of women who gamble is increasing.
We’ve briefly mentioned one of the reasons for these stats, and that’s accessibility. Almost everyone in Great Britain has a smartphone or a tablet that offers uninterrupted access to the internet. So, those who like to gamble can install a betting app on their device or use a given company’s website wherever and whenever.
In addition to the growing popularity of mobile services, another thing that has an effect on women’s involvement in gambling is ads. There has been a growing debate over the ban on gambling ads in GB, and for a good reason. Since this is one of the most liberal places in the world regarding gambling, you can find ads everywhere, including on TV. The fact that people talk about gambling all the time (even in a negative way) has an effect on those who haven’t tried betting before.
The last reason that should be included here is that many women in Scotland are avid sports fans. Many support the local football clubs, so it’s no surprise they decide to place bets on them. Unsurprisingly, the gambling companies operating in Scotland provide as many options as possible.
Other stats reveal that some women turn to gambling because they want to supplement their household income. As lucrative as it may seem, doing this is not a good idea because gambling has risks, and most players lose more than they win.
The things that Scottish women bet on
The research on women’s interest in gambling reveals some pretty interesting things. Naturally, many of them are interested in online gambling, including different aspects, such as sports betting and casino games. Generally speaking, wagering on sports is more popular than casino games in Great Britain, but some trends from last year prove otherwise.
If we put iGaming aside, the data reveals women are also interested in the National Lottery. This may not come as a surprise because the prize pool can reach high numbers. What’s more, the lottery is fairly easy to understand when you compare it to some of the online gambling products.
Aside from using the lottery, women also gamble on Scratch Cards. This is another thing that’s much easier to understand than other forms of gambling, so it attracts many people. Another big plus of using Scratch Cards is that you learn whether you win something right away instead of waiting.
Lastly, we have Bingo, one of the fan favorites in Great Britain. Besides the gambling websites that offer different kinds of bingo variations, there are many bingo halls all over Scotland. Albeit a bit more complicated than scratch cards or the lotto, bingo is a fun game played by millions online.
What should people be aware of before gambling in Scotland or elsewhere?
Inexperienced gamblers who watch different gambling ads everywhere think that this is an attractive way of earning money. However, the reality is completely different because betting in all of its forms can be extremely dangerous.
For starters, too much gambling could lead to a variety of financial problems. A lot of people start using more money than they can afford, so they start taking loans. Some can even go so far as to steal money to feed their gambling addiction.
The next big issue that women in Scotland need to be aware of is related to their health. A lot of them do not realize it, but spending too much time and money on gambling activities often leads to tons of health issues, both mental and physical. Some people who lose a lot of money also develop suicidal thoughts. Studies show that 1 in 5 women in Britain can experience mental health difficulties related to gambling, which is troublesome.
Last but most definitely not least, we have our relationships. Women who gamble (as well as men, of course) can often have problems with their relationships. Besides getting into fights with family, some people even stop communicating with friends. There have also been cases where it could lead to family breakdown and more.
What to do in difficult situations?
Whether you need help overcoming a gambling addiction or you want to do everything not to find yourself in one, you can use the help of different organizations. Gamblers in Scotland and all over the UK can go to places like BeGambleAware and get other similar websites. There are also different kinds of land-based institutions that will assist people with gambling issues.
Even though betting can be fun, men and women need to be careful because they can have difficulties. That’s one of the reasons why a lot of gambling websites also provide several features that help people. Depending on the operator, users may be able to limit their deposits or how much time they spend while gambling.
Regardless of what you want to gamble on, be careful and always do it for fun. Betting on a sports team or playing something else is fun, but only when you’re doing it responsibly.
