SPORTS betting has long been a male-dominated activity, but this could be changing, according to a University of Queensland study.
PhD candidate Rohann Irving, from UQ’s School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, explored why nearly 90% of regular sports bettors are men and how betting companies are targeting women.
“Sports betting has historically been confined to male-dominated spaces like TABs and pubs,” Mr Irving said. “But smartphones have made gambling more accessible to women.”
Betting companies are capitalising on this shift by offering novelty bets aimed at women, such as predicting Taylor Swift’s Grammy wins or the outcomes of reality TV shows like Love Island.
The current gender divide in sports betting has deep historical roots. “In colonial Australia, men controlled household finances, limiting women’s access to gambling,” Mr Irving explained.
“The first legislation allowing bookmakers in 1906 even banned taking bets from women.”
Though women have long attended racetracks, they were often treated as decorative rather than active participants.
Mr Irving believes smartphones could change the gendered nature of sports betting.
“This represents women gaining access to an activity they were historically excluded from, but it also puts them at greater risk of gambling-related harm,” he said.
As sports betting companies increasingly target women, Mr Irving stressed the need for scrutiny of these marketing strategies.
The findings, published in the Journal of Australian Studies, highlight the evolving dynamics of Australia’s fastest-growing form of gambling.
