Gambling was previously thought to be an activity that is only enjoyed by men, but in recent years we have seen more women getting involved. Unfortunately, this also means that problem gambling rates among women have increased, according to responsible gambling experts. Dr Fiona Weldon is the clinical director of the Rutland Centre, an addiction rehabilitation facility.
In recent years, she has noted a significant increase in the number of women who seek help for gambling-related addictions. Four years ago, Dr Weldon notes that just 4% of her patients were female. Now over 20% of compulsive gamblers in her care are women. She attributes the rise in gambling addiction rates among women to the increasing availability of gambling.
When gambling was primarily a land-based activity, it was somewhat of a ‘boys club’. Casinos were not venues that women often chose to frequent. Now, gambling is available online and via mobile devices, so more women feel comfortable taking part in the activity. "There's online bingo, poker and casinos. It's all so accessible, it's these activities that the women with gambling addictions tend to participate in,” says Dr Weldon.
"It's there at the click of a button on your phone or on the internet”. Dr Weldon also notes that gambling addiction is easier to hide than other types of compulsive behaviour. With drug addiction and alcohol abuse, the individual shows visible signs of distress and they are unable to carry out everyday tasks.
With gambling addiction, victims can hide it very easily, so their problems go untreated for a very long time. She suggests that at-risk individuals should disable internet access on their phones in order to avoid the urge to gamble online. In addition, they should seek help as soon as they begin to exhibit addictive behaviour – but this is usually left up to a friend or family member to recommend.
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