Women and Problem Gambling

(Reprinted from: Lesieur, H.R. (1998). The female pathological gambler. In Eadington (Ed.), Gambling Research (pp 230-258) Bureau of Business and Economic Research, University of Nevada.)

The stigma of having a problem with gambling is often perceived by women to be greater for them than for their male counterparts. There are several aspects of problem gambling which appear to be unique for women:

• The majority of women with gambling problems begin gambling later in life than men who experience problems with gambling.
• In many cases women begin gambling as an escape from unpleasant feelings, experiences, or overwhelming problems (i.e., childhood trauma, marital difficulties, loneliness, etc.).
• Some women develop an increased reliance on gambling as a time out from their troubles. This tends to compound other problems. Soon they not only have the original issue to deal with, but also they have problems associated with gambling.
• Most women who have problems with gambling prefer more solitary games with less action, less competition against others, and where luck is more important than skill (i.e. bingo, VLT's, lotteries).
• Women with gambling problems are more likely to be single, separated, or divorced than men who experience problems with gambling.
• Many women who have problems with gambling are responsible for looking after the family's finances. This can put them at risk for gambling with money intended for bills or groceries.

Reading Resources

Lesieur, Henry R. and Blume, Sheila B. MD. When Lady Luck Loses: Women and Compulsive Gambling. Feminist Perspectives on Addictions pp. 181-197. Springer Publishing Company, New York, 1991

Lesieur, Henry R. PhD and Mark, Marie E. A Feminist Critique of Problem Gambling Research. British Journal of Addiction (1992) pp. 33-50