The lines between men’s and women’s hobbies are becoming increasingly blurred these days and rightly so. Gambling is no longer just a “male sport”. In fact, however, it is true that in the past few decades it was mainly the male sex that was seen in arcades. Why is that and has the number of women playing actually increased?
Who gambles?
Up until almost 15 years ago, you would hardly ever have seen a lady gambling in arcades and pragmatic slot. That was also what was desired. Games of chance were “something for the gentlemen”. The casinos have focused on an exclusively male target group. The proportion of women in the gambling industry has been neglected in studies and statistics.
In the meantime, however, the tide has turned. For example, in 2020, 34% of all slot players were women. Nowadays, the number of players in different countries is becoming more and more equal in terms of gender. However, that doesn’t mean it attracts fewer men to the slot machines. As the proportion of women has increased, overall player numbers have also skyrocketed. The revenue that arcades generally make annually has more than doubled. So nowadays it is fair to say that both men and women enjoy gambling. The proportion of women has increased significantly over the last 15 years.
Why is the proportion of women in the gambling industry increasing?
Behind this development is a decision, namely the decision of the arcade operators to want to expand their market. It became clear to them that women are a hitherto completely untapped possible target group that would mean one thing above all for the operators. This is the increasing numbers of players and thus increasing profits. For this reason, many arcades have set themselves the goal of drawing as many ladies as possible into the industry.
To do this, it was imperative for arcades to undergo some fundamental changes. These were based on things and styles that were particularly popular in women’s culture at the time. For example, not only the previous non-alcoholic drinks were served, but also coffee specialties such as latte macchiato.
The interiors of many casinos have been completely transformed. They renovated the rooms in a style that could also appeal to ladies. In addition, many newer games found their way into the range of well-known arcades. This had a little more to offer in terms of graphics than their predecessors. In some cases, they thematically aimed the games more at presumed preferences of the female sex. The changes proved effective.