Young women have emerged as Australia’s new problem gamblers

YOUNG women are more likely to develop gambling addictions faster than men, it have been revealed, as they are increasingly targeted by betting companies.

EXCLUSIVE

YOUNG women are emerging as Australia’s new problem gamblers.

Contrary to public perception that it is middle-aged and older women spending the most amount of time playing pokies and mainly men gambling on racing, sports and at casinos, new research shows women aged 16 to 34 are also betting big time.

A Deakin University study reveals almost two thirds of young women (64 per cent) have bet on horse racing or other sports, gambled at a casino or played the pokies over the past 12 months, putting their gambling rates on a par with men.

The study shows women aged 16 to 34 are 2.6 times more likely to be classified as problem gamblers than women aged 35 to 54 and 10.2 times more likely than women aged over 55.

It also reveals younger women experience the most harm from gambling because they do not have the savings or steady income buffers of older punters, and women are more likely to develop gambling addictions faster than men.

Gambling researcher Associate Professor Samantha Thomas says the study results are a wake-up call.

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Women have emerged as Australia's new problem gamblers. Picture: Supplied

“We’ve become so absorbed in protecting young men that we’ve taken our eye off the fact that young women are experiencing significant harm,” she told News Corp Australia.

“Gambling has become more normalised for young women than ever before.”

The study found young women are more likely to diversify their gambling habits — using multiple products to bet — than older women.

While pokies are the product gambled on most frequently by women overall, younger women are more likely to bet on sports via a phone app and gamble at casinos than older women, Assoc. Prof. Thomas says.

Nicky Whelan as she appears in CrownBet ads. Picture: Supplied

This may be especially true of women under the age of 18, who cannot legally enter casinos or venues with poker machines.

“There’s a major perception issue here — young women see horse and sports betting as less harmful than chance-based gambling, which we believe may be due to their exposure to online promotions and advertisements that have had a normalising impact on their attitudes to these newer forms of gambling,” Assoc. Prof. Thomas says.

More than 1000 men and women across Victoria and New South Wales were questioned online between March and May last year for the Deakin study into community attitudes towards gambling.

A total of 509 young women were surveyed, with some commenting that they preferred sports betting to other forms of gambling because it was fun.

Deakin researchers used the Problem Gambling Severity Index to measure whether women were ‘problem gamblers’. The index asks study participants questions across nine areas about behaviours known to characterise problem gambling, including whether they bet more than they can afford to lose and whether they feel guilty about their gambling habits.

Novelty betting around reality TV shows is increasingly popular and some gambling ads — including a CrownBet one with Nicky Whelan — appear to be pitched directly at young women, Assoc. Prof. Thomas says.

Social media influencers have also started tagging sports betting companies in photos and hashtags, particularly during racing carnivals, she says.

Controversial Gibraltar-based bookmaker Lottoland is marketing heavily to families at the moment with a special “Mother’s Day bundle”.

A sponsored Facebook post from controversial bookmaker Lottoland being received by women this week, in the lead up to Mother's Day. Picture: Facebook

Mother’s Day scratchie tickets are also being promoted.

“It shows the gambling industry is really starting to be a lot more overt with the strategies that it’s using to appeal to women,” Assoc. Prof. Thomas says.

The tobacco industry used similar strategies — making cigarettes appear glamorous and empowering — when it aggressively pursued the female market, she says.

It’s possible young women are being introduced to punting by their boyfriends and couples are now betting together.

Deakin’s Associate Professor Samantha Thomas is seeking to protect young Australians from gambling harm. Picture: Supplied

Another possible explanation for the spike in young female gamblers is that the young women who start betting at the legal age of 18 perceive punting as normal adult behaviour because they have been exposed to gambling and sports betting advertising for much of their lives, she says.

Assoc. Prof. Thomas says the shocking results of her research show a different approach is now needed to properly address problem gambling among young people as most existing programs are based on male addicts.

“We’ve been preoccupied with young men and sports betting but we need to have a community discussion about the specific ways in which women — particularly young women — are now at risk,” she says.

If you believe you may have a gambling addiction and need help call Gambler’s Help on 1800 858 858 or if you are under 25 call the Youthline on 1800 262 376.