A study researching female players’ experience in the poker industry has discovered a welcome revelation about the positive progress made in recent years with regards to the place of women. 

Of the 2,000 UK-based women who participated in the study, almost half expressed that in the past, they felt out of place at events and locations considered to be stereotypically ‘male’ territories such as pubs, rugby matches and poker games.

The study also revealed, however, that this exclusionary trend is changing, at least in the poker world. The general consensus was that today, poker is no longer considered a ‘man’s game’ as more and more women are taking their rightful seat at the poker table. 

Women and Poker Survey

Playing poker

• 44% of women say that they have played poker before
  • 7% currently play
• While over half (56%) have never played poker before

Of those who have played poker before (n=889):

• 81% say they enjoy playing poker
  • While just 19% say that they do not enjoy playing

• 34% of poker players say they play at least once a month
  • 16% play at least once a week
• 20% play poker once every 2-6 months
• And 46% play less often than every 6 months

Insight

Of those who have played poker before (n=889):

Balance

In general, 56% of women say that they feel at a disadvantage because of their gender

• 10% say they often feel this way
• While 46% feel at a disadvantage occasionally Of those who have played poker before (n=889):

Players report that on average, women tend to make up 20.54% of the players at their tables

• 42% report that between 1-10% of the players at their tables tend to be women
• Nearly a third (32%) say their games were generally made up of between 11-30% women
• 18% say their games tended to be made up of 31-50% women
• While only 7% said their games were usually made up of more than 50% women

Insight

Of those who have played poker before (n=889):

Playing with men

• Almost a third of women (32%) agree that they feel less inclined to play poker because they are women
  • 9% say that they strongly agree with this statement
• However, another 32% disagree with feeling less inclined to play as women
  • 15% strongly disagree that they feel this way

Of those who have played poker before (n=889):

• 45% say that they have felt intimidated by a member of the opposite sex while playing poker
  • 15% say that they have felt intimidated lots of times
  • With 30% saying this has happened once or twice
• While 52% say they have never felt intimidated during a poker game by a member of the opposite sex

Of those who have felt intimidated (n=396):

Comfort

• 27% of women say they (would) feel most comfortable playing poker at home
• This is followed by:
  • A friend’s house (22%)
  • Online (8%)
  • Casino (5%)

• 45% of respondents say they (would) feel the most comfortable playing poker with their friends
  • 43% (would) feel most comfortable playing with family
• While only 5% say they (would) feel most comfortable playing with competitors
• 47% of women agree that, from the perspective of a female, a casino is an intimidating place
  • 14% strongly agree that casinos are intimidating
• While 18% disagree that this is the case

Insight

Male-oriented

• According to women polled, the places that feel most male-oriented in a negative way are:

1. Men’s Football match (49%)
2. Men’s Rugby match (40%)
3. Darts event (38%)
4. Pub (34%)
5. Gym (25%)

• While a quarter (25%) don’t feel that any places are male oriented in a negative way
• Women are most likely to say they’ve felt left out because of their gender in a pub (19%)
• This was followed by:
  • A men’s football match (18%)
  • A men’s rugby match (12%)
  • The gym (12%)
  • Work (12%)
• While over half (53%) of women say that they have never felt left out anywhere because of their gender

Insight

The most intimidating behaviours in male dominated environments, according to women polled, are:

1. Sexist behaviour (55%)
2. Verbal aggression (51%)
3. Loud behaviour (42%)