When Entain Plc Chief Executive Officer Jette Nygaard-Andersen took over one of the world’s biggest gambling groups in early 2021, in one of her first interviews she said she was interested in ways to get more women placing bets.
Two and a half years later, Entain has released a report indicating her wish is coming true.
The Women’s World Cup has led to a “record number” of women betting on the tournament, according to the UK-based group, which has companies in more than 40 countries including bookmaker Ladbrokes, and US joint venture BetMGM.
In the first three England games, 21% of bets placed with Entain’s Ladbrokes and Coral brands were from women, versus 17% in the 2022 Women’s Euros and 13% in the 2019 World Cup, Entain said in a statement on Wednesday.
In one of the host nations, TAB New Zealand said that almost 15% of bets were placed by women, up from 9% in 2019. This coincided with a massive increase in bets placed on the tournament overall — up 365% compared to 2019.
The rising popularity of women’s sport has also fueled betting more generally: a study co-funded by Entain showed bets on women’s football have risen at an annual growth rate of about 20% since 2020. In the past, Entain executives said women were more skewed toward non-sports games, such as its Gala Bingo brand.
In the UK, more men gamble than women, according to its regulator, the Gambling Commission — though the gap has narrowed slightly in recent years. In 2022, 47.2% of British men gambled in the month prior to a survey, compared to 41.8% of women. In 2018 the figures were 50.8% against 40.9%. The survey captures all types of gambling, including lotteries, bingo, slot machines and sports betting.
