Image credit Multicultural group of young businesswomen working with tablet together – depositphotos.com
In the neon glow of the online casino world, the thrum of virtual slot machines and the digital shuffle of e-decks may feel worlds away from the smoky air and clink of chips in brick-and-mortar casinos. But beneath the surface, age-old biases persist. Like so many industries, the online casino realm remains predominantly a man’s place. Yet, some courageous women venture into this space, carving their own path amid the electronic odds and evens. And rightly so! Recent studies show that between 30% and 40% of online casino customers are in fact women. So, it’s about time their underrepresentation in the industry comes to an end.
We’re taking a look at what some of the most formidable women in the iGaming industry have to say about their journeys, and the lessons they’ve learnt along the way.
Siobhan Aslett
There is nothing more powerful than a woman who is passionate about what she does and is determined to succeed. One such woman is Siobhan Aslett, an Irish sportsbook specialist who has made quite a name for herself in the industry. She is currently an editor for IrishLuck, providing in-depth analysis, reviews and tips for sports betting fans.
After graduating from the University of Exeter with a degree in sports nutrition, Aslett went on to work at one of London’s biggest sportsbooks, an experience that she attributes her insights and knowledge to.
Aslett showed a keen interest in sports from a young age and is a self-proclaimed football fan. When asked how she feels about being one of very few women in the online casino industry, she responded saying she feels like she’s won the lottery, getting to write about topics she’s passionate about and being paid to do it. She is hopeful more women will feel confident enough to enter into the iGaming industry – if that is where their passions lie – to balance the scales in terms of diversity.
Anna Gyulkhasyan and Sona Manukyan
Anna Gyulkhasyan is an Armenian marketing specialist who co-founded DEEP.Marketing.Branding with her business partner Sona Manukyan. Their agency specializes in providing marketing services to operators in the iGaming sector, and the formidable duo have racked up quite an impressive client list over the years.
Gyulkhasyan feels there is a lack of female representation in senior roles within the online casino industry and that most of their clients’ contact persons are male. However, most of these men share in her hopes for more women in leadership roles, stating that there is a strong sense of community within the industry that pays no attention to gender, age or any other demographic factors.
Manukyan shares this sentiment, saying she feels privileged to be in a leadership role in a male-dominated industry and hopes she can serve as an example to other women looking to climb the iGaming ranks.
Denise Coates
If you’re a keen gambler, you’ve likely come across the name Denise Coates at some point. The powerful British billionaire is the founder of Bet365, one of the UK’s most popular betting sites. She founded the online betting site in 2000, just as the dotcom bubble burst. This risky move proved to be the smartest decision she ever made, with Bet365 growing into its present status as a UK iGaming giant.
While she generally remains very much in the background, Coates is actively involved in every aspect of the business and has made a few statements over the years about what it takes to run a successful company. In 2012, she told an interviewer from The Guardian that being at the helm of a business that operates 24 hours a day meant she had to make herself available 24/7. This translated to many midnight phone calls, early mornings and never really getting a chance to “switch off.”
When probed on how she felt about being a woman on top in a male-dominated industry, she simply laughed it off, stating that she hadn’t given it much thought. If a man had ever stepped out of line or tried to undermine her, she had no problem setting them right. This should serve as motivation for other women in the industry to adopt a similar attitude – you know your worth, you know what you’re doing and you deserve to be recognized for your achievements.
Charmaine Mabuza
Charmaine Mabuza is a well-known South African businesswoman whose company Ithuba Holdings is the official operator of the country’s national lottery. She played an instrumental role in taking the national lottery into the digital age
While she is very much aware that having black women in leadership positions is not the norm, she has fostered an entrepreneurial spirit since childhood. She feels a large part of Ithuba’s success has been breaking down barriers by putting women into senior roles within the company. As it stands, 60% of the management team are female, compared to the gaming sector’s average of 20%.
She reiterates she started Ithuba Holdings in 2015 as the only female CEO in South Africa’s iGaming industry. She feels she now has a responsibility to steer transformation in the industry, which, as she has already demonstrated, begins within her own business.
Vanessa Selbst
Would you ever picture a Yale political science graduate becoming a big name in the online gambling world? Vanessa Selbst happens to be the anomaly, having turned her love for poker into her career after graduation. It didn’t take very long for Selbst to make a name for herself in the industry, winning her first World Series of Poker tournament back in 2008.
The American poker powerhouse has racked up an estimated $11m in prizes, as well as earning herself a Hall of Fame title in 2018. While she was making waves in the iGaming industry, she was also earning a second degree in law and working as a legal consultant.
Her aggressive playing style and achievements throughout her career so far serve as inspiration for other women looking to enter into competitive online gambling.
Why does diversity matter?
Now that we’ve met some of the most influential women in the online casino industry, we feel it’s important to unpack why female representation is so important.
When there are more brilliant minds together in a room, companies open themselves up to true innovation. Men and women come with different perspectives and life experiences that can help shape idea generation. This translates to developing games or platforms that offer unique, diverse gaming experiences and not relying on insular opinions.
Creating online casinos that welcome women will obviously generate more revenue. But by creating inclusive online spaces, people from all walks of life will feel safe enough to seek entertainment on platforms that champion diversity.
Another area where it pays to be diverse is developing game characters themselves. Historically, the large majority of characters are male, which creates a less inclusive place for women. Of course, they don’t necessarily mind stepping into a male character but they would appreciate seeing themselves represented. Within iGaming, this could translate to female-led live dealer games to ensure there is a balance between the sexes.
Having women in decision-making roles in iGaming businesses also ensures that the online space remains free of harassment or discrimination. This is often overlooked by men who don’t have to face these kinds of issues on a daily basis, so it can be helpful to include a female perspective on what can be done to combat this kind of toxic online behaviour.
Luckily, most businesses across the board have woken up to these facts and have taken action to fight inequality. For example, the motor industry has taken great strides towards balancing the scales by employing more females in the past three years. A study found that 67% of respondents felt women were now more visible within the industry than before. Our hope is that this will filter through to industries like iGaming, where more females are needed in senior roles before the sentiment can be shared.
Conclusion
Despite its reputation for being a heavily male-dominated industry, there are plenty of women across the world giving the online casino industry the shakeup it needs. From steering million dollar companies to being trailblazers as competitors themselves, women will continue to be inspired to step into positions of power within the industry – and best believe we’re here for it.
