Women in many professional spheres continue to lead an uphill battle for representation, and the gambling industry is no different. You can imagine that the industry has a representation problem and it’s in fact famous for its “Boy Club” attitude, which keeps turning away talented female individuals who want to succeed in this sphere.
In this article, we will take a deep dive into yet another male-dominated industry and what can be done to change the mistakes of the past and create a better future for everyone.
We will also celebrate the success of these famous female gamblers who managed to break the glass ceiling, and their counterparts on the other side of the gambling world who work for the most exclusive gambling providers.
Much like other industries, the gambling industry was created by men and for centuries it was virtually inaccessible to women. Betting shops were (and largely are) hot spots for men to hang out with their friends while making a buck. The same applies to most casinos where the majority of players are men.
The same thing applies to gambling operators, even more so. While casinos rely on comely young women to tend to the tables, women are hardly represented in the management of said casinos, whether they be land-based or online. However, you wouldn’t think that if you saw the stats.
For instance, women in the American gambling industry currently make up 51% of the total workforce, according to the American Gaming Association, but their research has conveniently left out what percentage of women hold the top casino jobs. Looking at various casino board rooms, you can easily tell why that’s the case.
There is another worrying stat concerning women gambling. With the rise of online casino gaming, more women started gambling, because they felt welcomed in a space, which does not treat them like outsiders as opposed to your old-fashioned betting shop.
Despite the fact that women are now close to reaching the percentage of men who gamble, they make only one third of the people who seek help for gambling addiction. Experts warn that women less likely to reach out and that rehabilitation programs are geared towards men and tend to not see how female addiction is different.
All these issues that we mentioned so far have to be discussed openly and measures should be taken to correct them.
In terms of female representation in gambling contests, the organizers should do better to remove the pervading sexism and make their female competitors feel safe, so they can thrive. Many women have since became famous for their skill, mainly in poker, and they serve as a good example for young girls who wish to follow in their footsteps.
Take for example Vanessa Selbst. Selbst has so far accumulated over $11 million from playing poker and became the first woman to place first on the Global Poker Index (men and women). She is, unfortunately, the only woman to have ever reached this coveted spot, which arguably shows the obstacles female poker players face.
Now what about women who work for gambling providers? Although men are still over-represented in top managerial positions, women in the business are actually noting that things are improving for them. Many companies are now addressing the core issue – gender pay gap and lack of women in leadership roles.
Caesars Entertainment, the biggest gambling provider in the US, announced in 2017 that they set a goal to achieve gender equality in leadership by 2025, and it looks like they stand by their word as their employees, along with the public, is already seeing the positive change.
Women in the business say that other companies should follow their lead and commit to diversity and inclusion starting with changing the office culture; men should be respectful to their female colleagues and invite them to sit at “the big table” and listen to their contributions.
Jette Nygaard-Andersen, CEO of Entain, is one of the most influential women in the branch and she’s already helped her platform attract many new customers by providing innovative ways to do so like extending free entertainment on the platforms (free-to-play games).
Nygaard-Andersen champions diversity and her company is investing millions into creating AI free from bias; she also supports the program Girl Who Code that seeks to make technology education more accessible to women and to also close the gender pay gap.
Amy Howe, CEO of FanDuel, champions the same ideals and with her company having a big share of the American sports betting market, we can expect good things to come from her leadership. FanDuel is committed to gender equality and plans to have 40% of women in leadership roles by 2026.
Howe also notes that betting platforms should offer more options to wager on women’s sports, because female athletes should be supported as well. That’s how she believes that women can be attracted to the platform, which currently has more than 80% of male customers.
We were happy to find out about all these amazing women and their valuable contributions that seek to disrupt the male-dominated world of gambling.