Share this:
If you believe Hollywood’s depictions of the betting arena, then you’d be forgiven for thinking that it’s a man’s world. Movies like Casino and Ocean’s Eleven paint a picture of an industry where confident men in sharp suits control the gaming floor and make vast sums of money by flirting with lady luck.
However, if you actually look at the stats, the reality is actually very different. Researchers at the Centre for Gambling Research at Southern Cross University have found that Aussies are the biggest bettors in the world, spending an average of AUS1,380 each year on everything from blackjack to pokies.
Women Are an Integral Part of the Gaming Industry
Of those who do ante up, around 50% are female. In the past it used to be the case that 80% of casino patrons were male, but in recent years that figure has changed. Thanks to an increase in “casual” games such as pokies and more entertainment provisions inside major venues, women are now joining the action.
With the myth that women don’t play casino games clearly blown out of the water, that’s great news for operators and players alike. For operators, there’s now a bigger market to provide games, which translates to more options for players. In fact, over the last two decades the betting industry has moved from a real-world venture to, increasingly, an online experience.
Following the online casino boom of the early noughties, more people are now playing games of all shapes and sizes via their computers and mobiles. For women, the advent of online gaming has been extremely important because the medium is often seen as a more accessible gateway to gaming than live casinos. Indeed, if we accept the premise that live casinos were once the domain of men, then it would be understandable if women didn’t feel compelled to join the action.
In contrast, online casinos are anonymous places where gender doesn’t matter. Moreover, the stakes are often lower online which means novices can ante up without having to spend a lot of money. The end result of this is that more women than ever are playing online and that’s helped create an industry worth $41 billion.
Gaming’s Popularity Spawns Innovation
OK, so the Internet is a great place to play online casino games, but what are my options? Well, in the early days of iGaming the selection of the games was fairly limited. A few incarnations of blackjack, roulette and slots was about as good as you were going to get. Today, however, things are extremely different. In addition to this original selection of games, players can now access live dealer games and even a unique set of payment options.
Beyond making deposits in Aussie Dollars using something like a Visa or MasterCard, players can now use Bitcoin. The cryptocurrency has been gaining more attention in the mainstream in recent years and that’s created a new niche in the iGaming arena. BitcoinPokies.com is the latest platform to hit the virtual airways and offer players a complete Bitcoin gaming experience.
From the deposit process to betting on pokies such as Pretty Kitty and Jack Hammer, everything involves Bitcoin. Why would you want to bet using Bitcoin? Well, aside from offering secure, anonymous transactions, Bitcoin deposits and withdrawals can be processed instantly. Because of how Bitcoins are sent across the Internet, operators like BitcoinPokies.com can speed up the withdrawal process which means players get the cash quicker.
In short, casino gaming isn’t just for men and it’s not just confined to the brick-and-mortar arena. If you’re looking for a new place to ante up and play, it’s just a matter of choosing between the top platforms offering upwards of 300 pokies – you can be sure you’ll never get bored!