Introduction
In the 21st century, sexism is still rampant, but there is also an underlying desire for gender equality. It has been observed that in i-gambling, the target audience is becoming more and more gender-neutral. Companies are making an effort to include women. The rise of video slots has also targeted a new dominion- that is, the women players. Online casinos are moving away from their masculine designs and allowing a neutral style with themes and layouts targeting specifically female players. Currently, around 54% of online gamers are women!
What Are Video Slots?
Video slots are the new and popular way of playing online games. They are different from the traditional ones in a way that instead of pulling a mechanical lever, you would be pulling the lever and the reel virtually. Video slots are designed based on a variety of themes ranging from Safari, Space, Alien Invasions to treasure hunts, superheroes, and the classic fruity slots. They offer higher numbers of maximum bets, autoplay options, free spins, multipliers, and a visually pleasing Pay Table. While the games could have fixed or variable pay lines, the player has the choice to settle for a game that suits their taste.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| The features and gameplay are simple and easy to operate. | Unfortunately, most of them lack progressive Jackpots. |
| Wild and scatter symbols along with special symbols can form winning combinations and provide you cash multipliers. | Too many symbols may get confusing at times. |
| Most slots offer a range of bonus features and prizes based on pay line combinations. | The bonus features are usually hard to activate. |
| Free spins and multipliers are available. | Most winnings are subjected to wagering needs. |
Women in the World of Gaming
Before the pandemic and the popularity of video slots, women players were taboo, and in some cases, still are. They had to face discrimination and sexist attitudes. Gaming, which has always been a male-oriented activity, was uncomfortable for women even if they really wanted to play. For a woman, entering a casino and playing games was difficult, but with the popularity of video slots, the number of women players is on the rise!
A survey was conducted, which included 32 international i-gaming websites, and 975 online gamers participated, out of which 175 were women. And it was found that women faced way more stigma and shame for gaming in public than men. Women enjoyed online gaming to land-based casinos.
I-Gaming has changed the face of casinos. It has made it more diverse and challenged many stereotypical views regarding players, especially women players. According to statistics, between 30 and 40% are women who engage in Video slot gaming! The UK Gambling Commission reported that 43% of adults who have gambled in the last year were women.
Women player percentage in different Countries
| Sweden | 32% |
|---|---|
| UK | 30% |
| Italy | 21% |
| Spain | 18% |
According to a data set provided by Optimove, 59% of women bet on mobile, while only 52% of the gaming population is men. This proves how video slots are changing women’s attitudes towards gaming.
How are Video slots inspiring Women to enjoy gaming?
- Video slots can be easily operated on any platform, be it a smartphone or tablet. This leads to easy accessibility, and women can play from their homes without actually visiting a casino.
- A lot of casinos are nowadays promoting their various video slots online and changing advertising strategies. They are becoming women-friendly and not necessarily for only men to play! Casinos’ target audience has changed, and their image is becoming gender-neutral, which is great news. It has been noticed how women players generally enjoy playing slots more than anything. So, most video slots are slot games that are enjoyable to a neutral audience.
- According to a study, it has been noted that women were more attracted to video slots because of the comparatively easy gameplay and attractive features.
- It is interesting how some women enjoy playing under the guise of a man. This might be because of the stereotypes and how men are lauded to be better at poker and gaming. So, it might be the urge to be treated equally without prejudice that sometimes women want to play as a male character. Doing this in a casino with the mechanical lever and reels would be hard, but within one’s house and comfort, women participated in the games where they were considered to be weak. Studies show that 37.5% of men participated in a game with a male protagonist, and only 22 men played where a woman was a protagonist. But in the case of women, it was starkly different. Whereas 65 women out of the total number of participants played games where a man was a protagonist, only 35 women played female-centric games.
- In the same survey, it was found that out of 570 participants, 208 were men while 362 were women.
Thus, video slots with their colorful features and auditory games and also that it is i-gaming has influenced many women to play.
Some of the Interesting Themed Slot Examples
Here are some of the most popular online slots:
China Mystery
China Mystery free slots, for example, is an online slot game that offers a simple 5×3 grid format and is immensely popular with the women crowd. With its oriental theme and 30 pay lines, it is popular among all genders. The Top-rated software provider, Konami, developed this game. China Mystery Free Slots can be played on any platform, be it a smartphone or tablet.
Adelia The Fortune Wielder
This was developed by Foxium. The key character of this game is a woman named Adelia, who is on her journey to find a buried treasure. We see how it is women-centric. There are themed symbols of an old monastery. The game will provide wild symbols and scatter symbols. Play the game to find the other exciting symbols such as dagger, pouch, and many such!
Legend of the White Snake Lady
It is based on the legend of the White Snake. This game is perfect for you if you are into Chinese mythologies. With several exciting symbols, the main character is again a woman. With all this, the game is known for providing free spins and exciting bonuses to earn a little extra.
Agent Jane Blonde Slot
This game is one of the most popular video slot games under the genre of mystery. Jane Blonde is undoubtedly an alternate striking version of James Bond, the spy. This game is developed and powered by one of the biggest companies- Microgaming. It is also quite old and has been updated and improved. Symbols include spy glasses, lipstick, gun, and trackers. What’s unique is that players are rewarded with 15 3x multiplier free spins!
Legend of Cleopatra
The game captures the exotic essence of Cleopatra and is a popular game among women. It has incredible graphics and sound effects. The game offers many free spin bonuses. A unique feature is the Double Wild Reel. Play to find out what this exciting feature is all about!
Lost Relics
This game was developed by NetEnt. It is known for its 5A-5 reel. Unique features include cluster pay functions that do not restrict a player to a single pay line. This video slot is full of crazy bonus offers and extra scatter, wild and free spins!
Valkyrie
Lastly, we have one of the best female-themed online slots. It was developed by Elk Studios and had a wide range of dazzling graphics and sound effects. It is a five-reel slot that appears to be a 3A-3 reel! And there are 1034 winning pay lines! And to top it all, the game involves bonuses and free spins, and wild symbols.
Ending Thoughts
Video slots have permanently changed the face of gaming and casinos. The future is iGaming, and women play an important role in that. Video slots have captured a wide population of women players, and the number is expected to rise in the next decade. Due to iGaming, women can now play the same games as men- video slots, poker, blackjack, roulette, and many such games!
