When you think of a casino and it will probably bring to mind a very particular, if stereotyped, image in your mind. The surroundings are glamorous but it’s very much a male-dominated atmosphere. The women who are there are either elegantly dressed observers or croupiers running the games. The atmosphere is one of quiet and sometimes not so quiet, competition amongst the men who are focused of beating other players and taking the casino to the cleaners.
But a great deal has changed not just in the casino world, but in society itself since this scenario existed. Casinos are no longer the bastions of the patriarchy that they once were, and there has also been a distinct shift in the gender roles involved.
This is especially true of online casinos that are very much in the ascendant and growing more and more popular with women players. It’s hard to get an exact figure, but it’s estimated that as many as 45% of the players in the most popular online casinos are female.
So what does this new generation of women players look for in a casino?
Brands and standards matter
It’s a fairly well-recognised fact that women and men have very different attitudes and approaches to shopping – and the same is true of the way in which they select an online casino where they want to play.
Whereas a man will probably be more attracted by the welcome bonuses on offer and the range of games they can play, women tend to be more brand-conscious. So they will look for an online casino that has a defined identity, one that they can consider “their kind of place”. While there are several casinos that are very consciously aimed at women, these aren’t always the ones that will be top of their list. It’s more likely that they will look for ones that feel right for them.
Of course, it’s not all simply based on emotion either. Good welcome bonuses are important to women too and they will also need the reassurance that it’s a quality site that operates to the highest professional standards.
There’s also the question of how they can play on the site. For various reasons, women are particular fans of playing casino games on their smartphones. So, it’s also important that the casino in question has been optimised for mobile play.
The games women play
Choice of games is another factor, not necessarily for the money-making possibilities but more for the fun that they will involve. So, not surprisingly, women tend to love to play slots online. There’s something about the low level of involvement needed that particularly appeals. The fact that there are so many different games, with so many themes, is another important element. Many of these are also very obviously female-biased featuring rainbows. leprechauns and even Disney-style animations. There are also a wide number of games based on or around movies and TV shows ranging from Bridesmaids to Sex and the City in an obvious attempt to appeal.
Of the classic table games, both roulette and blackjack appeal to many women too.
Roulette is a game that is quick and easy to play as well as one in which there are a wide range of bets that can be made. It’s this combination of simplicity and complexity that makes it particularly captivating. Many online casinos also offer a “live” version of the game in which an actual dealer runs it with the action being streamed as it happens. Designed to be an altogether more immersive and social activity than straight online roulette, it’s also very popular among women players.
Similarly, blackjack is often offered as a live game and this is just as big a hit with many women. Of all the casino games, with the exception of poker, this is probably the one in which the player is most in control. In trying to beat the dealer to get the nearest to the winning score of 21, the player needs to make decisions on whether to take more cards.
For women who like to oversee their destiny, rather than just trusting to luck, this is always a popular option.
The difference between the sexes
We’ve already touched on the fundamental differences between the ways that men and women approach playing in online casinos. But this is well worth examining in more detail. Women are certainly less aggressively-competitive than men. So, their motivation for play is more one of enjoying themselves and having a social experience.
In terms of how they play, this often means that they will wager less than men and play for longer. This is because their end-goal is enjoyment, not potential financial gain.
However, these extended periods of play aren’t always the case. Women will also tend to use online casino play as a quick break in the daily routine, perhaps to sign-in to a site for a few minutes while they enjoy a coffee break. Men, on the other hand, will tend to set aside a specific and defined period of time to play and dedicate themselves to it to the exclusion of everything else.
As the casino operators gradually learn more and more about what women want from them, it’s very likely that sites will start to cater for them even more, whether this will alienate men or the whole sector heads more and more towards gender neutrality, we’ll just have to wait and see.