PRESS RELEASE
More Women are Enjoying Online Gaming than Ever Before, says Belle Rock Entertainment
2/24/2012
The internet has helped to open up the world of casino gaming to more women than ever before, says Bellerock Entertainment.
LONDON, Feb 24, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Bellerock Entertainment online casino review site reports that four times as many women played casino games in the UK in 2010 than in 2007. In addition, the number of women playing online casino games is now almost as high as men.
Although traditionally seen as a male pursuit, almost half of all UK online casino players are female. 48.38% of players in 2011 were female, compared to a slightly higher 51.62% being male, according to a survey carried out by Hitwise.
The internet has played a major part in increasing the number of female casino game players. Online casinos not only provide more convenient access to women who wish to play casino games, they also provide a playing atmosphere that women feel safer in. An increase in the number of female-oriented online casino and bingo sites has helped draw more women into the sector. The latest British Gambling Preference Survey figures indicate that while the number of women playing online casino games has increased, men tend to vary their gaming activities more than women. While men were found to strongly prefer poker, roulette and sports betting, women still strongly prefer online slots and bingo, with women twice as likely to play bingo as men.
The news comes alongside findings published by Women at NBCU, reporting that women are increasingly more tech-savvy than men. Their study announced that 54% of women in the US own a smartphone, compared to just 46% of men, and that women are more likely to own a smartphone app and Nintendo Wii too. Melissa Lavigne-Delville, of Women at NBCU, explains:
"Three-quarters of the female population is online and their increasingly passionate and widespread consumption of digital is shaping this ever-evolving space.
"As this growing number of digitally-dependent women alters the landscape in unexpected ways, marketers need to react in real-time."
With casino gaming being traditionally viewed as a male-oriented pastime, these latest figures indicate that a change in attitudes may be called for. Online casino sites that continue to market themselves strictly towards men are set to miss out on the valuable 50% female share of this emerging market.
SOURCE: Belle Rock Entertainment
