Are There Gender Differences in Gambling-II

Of course, far removed from the world of gaming is the world where people raise heated debates on the value and morality of gambling. Especially in religious circles, gambling and gamblers are highly looked down. Religious people and leaders argue that gambling is unethical and anyone motivated to gamble is negative. The opposite camp obviously views gambling as a harmless diversion much like any other sport. In fact, gambling is often compared to life itself. The element of chance that defines gambling is in parallel to the element of chance that drives existence and hence pro-gambling enthusiasts use this analogy to support gaming.



There has been enough theorizing about gambling since time immemorial. Karl Marx on his part grouped gambling with religion and labeled them an opiate for the masses. His school of theory and other like him viewed gambling as a means devised by people to cope with rapid industrialization. Renowned psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud stood poles apart from Marx and viewed gambling as a punishment devised by many to overcome their lewd motivations.



However, no matter what anyone says, gambling is extremely popular among many people. Although, studies have revealed that there are demographic differences about gambling enthusiasts. For one, people younger in age tend to take more risks and gamble more. Single, divorced, or separated people tend to gamble more than people in wedlock do. Gambling is also linked sometimes with certain social classes and religions. As an example, among Christians, Catholics are more likely to gamble than Protestants. Most notably, men of all ages tend to gamble more than women do. There are of course exceptions to this but this seems to be a general pattern.



Prolonged observation has shown that men tend to gamble more than women, and begin often in their late teens. This includes not just casino gambling but any kind of wagering. Men also tend to play more competitively and have higher winning percentages. Conversely, men also tend to wager more and place larger bets. By observation, people have also concluded that men seem to enjoy games like Blackjack and Poker the most.



Women on the other hand, tend to gamble less in comparison. They do not begin gambling until their late 20’s or upwards and tend to gamble less frequently. Women are also seen to place smaller bets and play less competitively. Researchers have observed that women gamble more for fun than men do. Unlike men, women enjoy playing at Bingo and Slots and not Poker and Blackjack.



These are certainly not rules and women are often heard to have even extreme gambling addictions. However, a general demographic tendency reveals women less likely to gamble than men do and when they do gamble it is less competitive and less frequent.