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Women next in line for serious gambling problems thanks to 'female-friendly gaming sites'

Multi-billion euro companies are now targeting women through marketing campaigns.

ADDICTION COUNSELLORS HAVE warned that they expect to see a surge in the amount of women presenting at their clinics with gambling problems.

According to the Rutland Centre, the female market is currently being targeted by marketing executives for betting firms to attract more women to spending money.

Traditionally, women were more inclined to gamble on scratchcards or in ways which can act as an escape such as slot machines, according to Rutland Centre CEO Maebh Leahy.

But now with the increase in gambling apps, markets which were usually exclusively geared towards men are now being painted pink in a bid to lure a once ignored market into the multi-billion euro industry.

Leahy said:

Women are being targeted now. There’s no doubt about that. The colour schemes, the language used, the ad campaigns. Everything. If you’re a company that profits from gambling, you have this whole captive market that hasn’t been tapped into. Half the world who is just as valuable to them as their male counterparts.

But the way men and women gamble is different, according to Leahy. While men hunt for as much adrenaline in as short a space as possible by backing horses or football matches, for women it’s an escape. There’s a little more denial built into it. Women can very quickly spend money on bingo or scratch cards.

Our fear at the Rutland Centre is that they’re not coming forward. But they are the next demographic to be hit with an addiction of this nature.

Earlier this week, Leahy warned that the racing festival and St Patrick’s Day could be especially difficult times for addicts which could see them relapse.

While it is tough for those struggling with impulsive behaviour, Leahy added that the government has a responsibility to enact legislation designed to protect vulnerable people. The Gambling Control Bill was published in 2013 and has yet to be signed into law.

While Leahy has praised Minister David Stanton for bringing it to the fore once again, she said the Bill needs to be passed in full and that “a watered-down version” would not suffice.

“We need the control bill to be enacted. It would have the industry behave in a much more responsible way. If we don’t stand up to them now, we’ll be in the same position that we are in now with alcohol. The cost on society needs to be recognised. It’s a multi-billion euro industry. Their profits are huge. Their contribution towards the social cost is minuscule in my opinion.”

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28 Comments
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    Mute TomO
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    Mar 20th 2017, 12:53 AM

    All major online sites are up to these shenanigans a while now, they have teams of people sitting around drawing up new ways to suck people in, online gambling is very dangerous as people have access to there accounts/savings very easily and link them to there betting accounts and can keep gambling until everything is gone where as in a bookies ( just as bad ) but they can only spend what’s in there pockets,most of the big betting shops are offering free bets and actually giving commission bonuses to workers to sign customers that are in the shops up to online gambling as they are not happy with what’s in there punters pockets anymore they want everything in there bank accounts too, some of the legislation needs to be changed around gambling especially the advertising but the awareness is not there in this country.

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    Mute Peter Cavey
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    Mar 20th 2017, 12:19 AM

    They are a disgrace. I constantly see adverts on TV for pink casino.. trying to hook women into online gambling. Should be illegal.

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    Mute Patrick Pints
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    Mar 20th 2017, 1:43 AM

    @Peter Cavey: and if they were only targeted at men thefeminists would be shouting sexism

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    Mute Marv
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    Mar 20th 2017, 7:45 AM

    @Patrick Pints: exactly,women are first in line for everything these days.

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    Mute Thunder Snowman
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    Mar 20th 2017, 7:51 AM

    Oh give it up Patrick. You sound like a sensitive whinging mommy’s boy.

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    Mute Patrick Pints
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    Mar 20th 2017, 12:08 PM

    @Thunder Snowman: go away, nobody likes you

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    Mute Panem et Circenses
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    Mar 20th 2017, 4:22 AM

    “Women only” services should all be done away with. Like “women’s only car insurance”, “women only health insurance” etc. I was in an airport recently and I saw a “women only” security desk – and yes the F’ing desk was pink!!

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    Mute Paddy Downey
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    Mar 20th 2017, 8:56 AM

    @Panem et Circenses: came across a hotel in Hong Kong just 2 weeks ago that had a Lady-only floor, presumably for female business people. The rooms were all different female-orientated designs. I thought was a pretty novel idea, for a city stuffed with male execs.

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    Mute DPentony
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    Mar 20th 2017, 7:37 AM

    Like a lot of the problems in society, it comes down to one thing, personal responsibility.

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    Mute Andy Wallace
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    Mar 20th 2017, 12:19 PM

    @DPentony:It dies indeed. However it also comes down to psychology. Coca Cola where the first company to use advertising at the moves as away to tap into the subcontious of people’s minds. You see a famous actor downing a coke in a movie without realising it you walk into a shop and want a coke. It’s the same here. It’s unfair and shouldn’t be aloud. Let people choose to gamble without all the adds and gimiks. A level playing field if you like.

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    Mute Bull Mick
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    Mar 20th 2017, 12:30 AM

    They will get it written off anyway. Lads will be locked up for owing money.

    56
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    Mute DaisyChainsaw
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    Mar 20th 2017, 1:02 AM

    Poker for boys. Bingo for girls. Money for old rope.

    46
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    Mute Jho Harris
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    Mar 20th 2017, 7:26 AM

    There is no hiding place from betting sites, gambling apps should be totally banned, they are to dangerous with additions to use and they never contain any form of warning that you are over spending. Apps make it too easy to gamble, look at Betfair TV ads which are based in space, out in the ocean, Antarctica etc. The is hardly an ad break on TV that doesn’t have at least one for betting apps. Why has nobody brought the new legislation forward to be enacted?

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    Mute Jeff Hunter
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    Mar 20th 2017, 9:43 AM

    @Jho Harris: So they should be banned for those who gamble responsibly too? Where does it stop? Closing pubs cos there are alcoholics in the world?

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    Mute James Neill
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    Mar 20th 2017, 9:46 AM

    @Jeff Hunter: spot on Jeff,it’s all about having self control and knowing when to stop.
    Don’t bet beyond your means etc…

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    Mute Jho Harris
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    Mar 20th 2017, 11:51 AM

    @James Neill: If the publicans start contacting you where ever you go than yes ban them too. Forgive the phrase but you are not tempted to drink more when you are on the loo and as I suggest it was not about bad control but it is bombarding invulnerable people no matter where they are all the time, most people seem to be addicted to their smart phones which make them an easy target.

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    Mute Jeff Hunter
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    Mar 20th 2017, 2:16 PM

    @Jho Harris: It’s how the internet works! If your google “Guinness” you’ll get ads on drink, same way if you visit a site about “forks” you’ll get ads about cutlery. If a gambling addict doesn’t look at those types of sites, advertising wont target them.

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    Mute Jho Harris
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    Mar 20th 2017, 6:59 PM

    @Jeff Hunter: Would love to know about the fantasy your world is based on, every sport site I visit, every football match I watch on TV, almost every ad break I witness on TV ensures I am at least of aware of the gambling site and that is putting it mildly. Gambling companies/are leeches and make so much of their profits from the misery of others whether that seek it or not. I know people who have spent money they intended to because they were actively encouraged to do so not because of a perceived weakness and these sites prey on people.

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    Mute Graham Carrick
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    Mar 20th 2017, 12:12 AM

    Why would they ignore half the population? Bingo sites are generally 65% female at the moment so they’re already being massively targeted. Crap article

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    Mute Emmet O'Keeffe
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    Mar 20th 2017, 2:25 AM

    Bookmakers are the Godfathers of the horse racing industry.

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    Mute Eamo Hansen
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    Mar 20th 2017, 9:05 AM

    Did you ever hear such horse manure. Just because some company puts up a nice shiny advert, it doesn’t mean you have to go and gamble your life savings.
    We have really become an insecure generation without any personal responsibility. Take accountability for your own decisions. If you become a gambling addict or a food addict, it’s not always someone elses fault. You have control over the decisions you make. There are temptations every day in life, you just need to know when to say no.

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    Mute Simeon
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    Mar 20th 2017, 9:33 AM

    The personal responsibility argument doesn’t stand up. In any population there will be varying degrees of personal responsibility. The marketing of tobacco, alcohol and drugs is about targeting the susceptible and bringing hell to their lives for profit. It is perfectly legitimate for us as a society to decide that we don’t want to support these predatory industries by allowing them access to our airwaves. We can’t ban them outright because then criminals would take them over but we can restrict them as we see fit.

    It is the directors of those companies who are refusing to exercise social responsibility. They also fight tooth and nail against attempts to regulate or dilute their message. We need to stand up to them.

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    Mute sparky
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    Mar 20th 2017, 12:20 AM

    What a load of cow $#ite..I’m going to” paint the town blue tonight”.

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    Mute David Saunders
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    Mar 20th 2017, 8:54 AM

    There should be a total ban on advertising any sort of gambling just like tobacco and alcohol. Imagine the Internet without the stupid paddy power spam

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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Mar 20th 2017, 10:47 AM

    All tv ads promoting gambling should banned .. it’s in your face constantly !

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    Mute Just Me
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    Mar 20th 2017, 11:52 AM

    @Suzie Sunshine: Suzie I agree. It used to be the drinks industry that promoted sports events, that was banned. Now the gambling industry has taken over. The drinking adds were mild in comparison.

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    Mute Dan Henry
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    Mar 20th 2017, 10:27 AM

    Fuok That

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    Mute Dermot O'Brien
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    Mar 22nd 2017, 10:49 AM

    It’s not illegal to smoke but the advertising is pretty much gone now… same should be done with gambling.. no ads and no signs on bookies shops, I even hear them hiding gambling promotion by having a charity bet in today fm. People enjoy the hobby but let’s tax the hell out of the winnings so the financial incentive is gone and it’s back to a fun hobby..

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