More women enjoying online gambling

2007-01-02 15:08:36

A leading UK newspaper has highlighted the growing number of women who enjoy online gambling as a pastime and social activity, but cautioned against uncontrollable addiction.

With women now accounting for almost half of all online casino players, the market for female gambling seems to be taking off.

A number of women expressed their fondness for online games such as poker in an article on the subject in the Daily Telegraph, with many having new funds to show for it.

"My ambition is to win a million dollars, invest in property and make a secure future for my children," said Xuyen Pham, who has already won a £191,000 prize at the Limit Hold 'Em tournament in Dublin, speaking to the newspaper.

And while experts cautioned against letting finances spiral out of control, an industry observer suggested that this was less likely to happen with women.

"Research shows that women generally prefer to play with small stakes to win a life-changing amount of money, rather than playing high-risk games that require a lot of time and strategy," said Mark Griffiths of Nottingham Trent University.

During the 2006 World Cup, traditionally a male-dominated environment, 30 per cent of the online gambling market was accounted for by women, a recent government survey showed.


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