The attractions and risks of Internet gambling for women: A qualitative study

Abstract

In this qualitative study, 25 females were interviewed who gambled frequently on the Internet. This paper describes the women's views about the Internet as a place to gamble and the associated risks. Volunteers were recruited from a wide range of sources in the UK and included 16 problem gamblers and 9 frequent gamblers. The women identified a number of features of the Internet that made it easy to gamble, such as its accessibility from home, its anonymity, and its privacy. The Internet was seen as less of a male domain and a place where women could learn to gamble. Frequent gamblers saw Internet gambling as a fun and social activity. All women recognised that they were at risk of excessive Internet gambling, and frequent gamblers had developed strategies to reduce these risks. The paper concludes with some measures that could identify and support those at risk.