Gambling has traditionally been seen as a male-dominated activity, and online companies have perpetuated this stereotype in their advertising campaigns, the way they design their sites, and the games that they offer.
We’ve all seen the banner ads featuring glamorous women posing, holding a hand of cards or a set of chips.
Men are very visual, so this image appeals to their sense of curiosity, even though it tells you nothing about what’s on offer.
But the growth of online casinos is going a long way towards turning this image on its head.
More and more women are gambling online, due to the accessibility of casino websites and the fact that they can play from home and during the day.
While online casinos haven’t entirely ditched the macho stylings, most of them have realised that they need a range of strategies to appeal to the full range of potential customers.
Women vs Men as Gamblers
The first thing online casinos have to take into account is that women and men prefer different games, so if they want to appeal to both, they need to offer a spread.
Men like games which involve an element of skill, something they can boast about and improve at with practice.
They prefer to play against other gamblers, rather than against the house, because they enjoy the feeling of beating someone.
This is why most men choose sports betting or poker.
By contrast, women prefer games of luck. They require less focus and are generally more relaxing because you don’t have to deal with the stress of trying to one-up the other players.
They also like games which pit them against the house or a dealer, rather than having to compete with other players.
Most women choose to play slots or bingo, both online and in land-based casinos.
Women also make smaller bets than men, and both these games allow for small initial stakes to be made.
How to Attract More Female Players
Online casinos wanting to appeal to women need to make sure that they offer the games women want to play.
And not just one or two token offerings, but a good range of online slots, bingo, and other luck-based games.
They also need to advertise their content, as women respond better to informative adverts than ones which are just pictures.
Women also like to play socially; they’ll often head to casinos in groups, all dressed up for a good night out.
You can’t do this with an online casino, but by offering chatroom functions, sites are giving women back the social element of casinos which they would be missing.
Live casino games appeal to women in the same way, because you can interact with the dealer.
And online casinos should make sure they hire both male and female dealers, to appeal to all members of the audience.
Themed Slots
As online slots are the number one choice for female players, it’s an important aspect to get right.
Thankfully, there are hundreds of different slots to choose from and all good online casinos offer a huge variety.
Themes range from animals to myths and legends, gems and treasure to Irish luck.
There are even slots based on popular movies and TV shows, which would attract legions of female fans, like the Wonder Woman slot from Playtech.
Roulette
Another type of game which goes down well with female players is roulette.
It’s another game which is played against the casino, avoiding open competition with other players, and involves a significant amount of luck.
While there are different betting strategies designed to try and help players come out on top every session, they aren’t guaranteed to work and there’s no skill involved in pulling them off.
Online roulette is available as a live game or digital game, meaning women can choose whether they want to interact with an attractive croupier or stick with the animated version.
Why Numbers Matter
The online casino market has never been more in demand, and as a result it has become over-saturated.
There are hundreds of casinos to choose from, and all that differentiates one from another is often their style.
There are a finite number of games which can be offered, so with the exception of specific slots, each online casino tends to have the same options.
Not all of these casinos will succeed, so it is important to attract as many players as possible and encourage them to stick around.
The best way to do this is by making sure that they appeal to both men and women, in order to have the greatest chance of bringing in new players.
There have been online casinos specifically designed towards female players, and these were incredibly successful because they filled a massive gap in the market.
But now that online casinos have dropped the male-centred approach to design, there is less need for sites to specialize.
Conclusion
Online casinos will attract more female players by recognizing that they look for luck-based games like slots, bingo, and roulette.
By using designs which aren’t gender-specific, for example, a sports theme or adverts littered with busty women, they are less likely to alienate the female market, and including a chat function helps women to get their social fix while gambling.