You may not think of women as traditional gamblers, but thanks to the growing popularity of online bingo it seems like women are just as capable of men of playing- and winning- big. Online bingo has revitalised the face of the game of bingo, capturing a vast proportion of younger females and turning it into a glamorous and trendy form of social activity for a diverse audience. But as the industry keeps growing, is there a threat that the female bingo player, who the industry has relied on so much up until now, will find herself increasingly sidelined?
There is no doubt about it. The arrival of the online bingo hall has boosted the numbers in the female online gambling community. Recent Comscore has backed this up, showing that nearly half of the online gambling community were female- a total of 43%. The average online female – a high earner, married and in her 30s, will often use the internet for experiential transactions like shopping and entertainment. And bingo operators are keen to capitalise on this market. One look at any bingo website and you will see the focus on the female audience- feminine colour schemes and promotions centring on pampering treats, chocolates and tickets for concerts like Enrique Iglesias and Take That, which give any visitor the impression that bingo is a girls only zone.
It does seem as though the game of bingo is a natural fit for the needs of the female gambler. Research seems to support stereotypes that while men tend to gamble for the exhilaration of “being the best” their opponents, females look for social interaction, entertainment and escapism when they gamble. The friendly nature of bingo sites and ability to offer a range of games, prizes and experiences that extend beyond the high stakes of sites offering traditional poker and casino style games.
However as the bingo industry grows, many are keen to express that women will cease to exist as the sole target of bingo sites. Following increasing calls to make bingo “more male friendly”, sites are increasing the offers on less gender specific prizes such as consoles and electrical entertainment goods. The chief executive of one of the UK’s biggest bingo operators, Cashcade is keen to continue attracting a diverse audience. Simon Collins, CEO of Cashcade who operate Foxy Bingo, Think Bingo and Cheeky Bingo, agrees that whilst online bingo is female-dominated, operators should not think this precludes men from playing the game.
Foxy Bingo has built up a “not insubstantial” male audience, challenging the stereotypes mentioned above. Despite Foxy Bingo’s wealth of female-oriented promotions and marketing, it has a customer base split with 30% male players.
“Guys like the community and the opportunity to chat to people. A lot of the things bingo has to offer (also) appeal to men,” he says. By breaking through the stereotypes of bingo as a game where gossip and gambling meet solely for housewives, there is definite potential to unlock a whole new set of bingo fans, in the same way that online bingo has busted the myth that bingo is not just for Grandma’s in smoky bingo halls.
The question is whether this will be at an expense to the female player, who has a proportionally lower presence on other gambling sites (such as Ladbrokes Casino, which has a 20% female customer base). By taking away the exclusivity of the female friendly bingo site, operators risk alienating their core audience, who are loyal and devoted advocates and spend little time on the many sites targeted at males. Some are quick to point out the game of poker can be dominated by male centric advertising and bingo is merely the female equivalent. Which leaves operators pondering if the removal of the ‘special status’ of the female player will risk them feeling like no game on the internet is something they can call their own. Ultimately this means they may start looking elsewhere.
Opinion is somewhat spilt. Sidelining the main users of a site may mean they could seek areas that welcome them and makes them feel important and included. The flipside is that an “anyone’s welcome” policy seems necessary to continue the growth of online bingo, and letting the guys become part of the eyes down action will not necessarily be at the detriment to the game. If anything, it only helps to strengthen it, by removing some of the stereotypes that separate men from women. What is certain is that in future, operators will have to balance being inclusive with making sure all of their players, male or female, can enjoy the great experience of online bingo.
