Rates of problem gambling are traditionally 1.5-2 times higher for men than women. However, new research indicates that women gambling addiction is trending upwards, with online gambling behavior among females increasing at a faster rate than for men. The 2018 removal of the federal ban on sports betting may play a strong role in this phenomenon, especially among young adult women. As the country’s leader in virtual support services for problem gambling, Kindbridge suggests that added focus should be placed on this potentially underserved population. Here’s why.
Overview of How Young Women May Face an Increased Risk of Problematic Gambling Behavior in the USA in 2025 (and beyond)
I. Rise of Betting Interest in Elite Women’s Sports
In the past, women comprised a small percentage of the sports betting public. The leagues they could most relate to not getting mainstream attention likely contributed to their lack of participation. Sports betting interest tends to align with TV viewership and game attendance numbers, which has been centered around men’s divisions, until now.
Last year, Division I Women’s Basketball Championship drew more viewers than the men’s, averaging 18.7 million viewers and peaking at 24 million on ABC and ESPN. Viewership is on a very strong upward trajectory and not expected to slow any time soon:
Average TV Audience NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship

Source: Statista 2025
Interest in the WNBA, where females make up 44% of the fan base, has also exploded. The base is predicted to grow further in the very near future as Sports Business Journal reports that WBNA interest from girls aged 2-17 is up 181%.
But does increased fandom really result in increased interest in sports betting? During the 2024 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, FanDuel received the most wagers all time for women’s sports. Meanwhile, Caesars’ sportsbook saw a more than 500% increase in betting during the WNBA’s opening night, and BetMGM reported a 175% increase in WNBA action. Of the 12% of women who are now monthly sports bettors in the U.S., 4% indicate that their introduction to sports betting was the direct result their increased interest in the WNBA that arrived with the rise of superstar female athletes like Caitlin Clark. Interestingly, WNBA fans are more likely to be influenced by brand sponsorships, which has implications regarding sports betting and DFS partners of the WNBA.

Source: Nielsen
The growth of the women’s sports betting community is also evident in supplementary media channels, igniting programs such as the Bet She Wins podcast which launched mid-2024 to capitalize on the growing demographic. In addition, a number of women-led sports betting picks and predictions profiles are popping up all over Instagram and TikTok. Expect sports betting resources for women to grow with demand, as surveys indicate that they feel overlooked:

Source: PlayNJ.com
II. Increased Sports Betting Marketing to Women
The big leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL) have ramped-up marketing efforts to be more inclusive of women. They are also quick to leverage any scenario that may further peak their interest. The NFL certainly capitalized on the Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift romance to sell tickets and merchandise. Running concurrently with marketing to increase female viewership, sports betting operators are also casting a wider net with their promotional initiatives. One of the newest and fastest rising regulated sportsbooks have openly stated that they are focused on attracting female customers. Perhaps the most telling statistic of all, is that 51% of the bets placed on the last Super Bowl were made by women.
“51% of the bets placed on Super Bowl LVIII were made by women“
Everywhere you look, sports betting platforms are becoming more gender inclusive in marketing. On the surface this is an equitable positive, but one cannot ignore how it will logically increase the volume of female problem gamblers.

III. Increased Sports Betting Spending by Women
In a report from 2023, it was found that nearly 1 in 5 of male sports bettors allocate 25% of their paycheck to sports betting. Women are catching up. For instance, in Delaware, female sports bettors now allocate 20% of their paycheck to the activity, followed by Massachusetts at 18%, Michigan at 17%, and Mississippi at 15%. With an increase in income allocation towards sports betting comes an increase in gambling debt.
IV. Increased Rates of Partner Gambling May Drive Increased Rates of Women Gambling
A recent National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) analysis on gambling behavior among college student athletes unveiled interesting statistics on how female student athletes wager on sports.

The data on who they gamble with is drastically different than it is with their counterparts. These young adult women gamble with, and are likely influenced by the gambling behavior of, family and their male romantic partners. From this it may be inferred that America’s notable increase in sports betting among young adult males could theoretically result in an increase in the same among their female romantic partners. The risk of young women gambling addiction would then rise proportionately with their increase in gambling behavior.
V. Higher Rates of Mental Health Conditions that Cooccur with Problem Gambling
There are mental health concerns that are known to cooccur with problem gambling. Common ones include anxiety, chronic stress, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and PTSD. Research shows that women score higher for anxiety and stress (view data), depression (view data), OCD (view data), and PTSD (view data) than men. In knowing this, the rising young women sports betting population must be more mindful about their gambling behaviors.
VI. Illegal Operators Offer Proposition Odds on Events Women Care About More
It’s logical for people to want to wager on things they are most interested in and knowledgable about. When it comes to certain proposition odds that offshore sportsbooks offer – such as entertainment props – it’s equally logical that betting interest may skew more female. For instance, research shows that twice as many women as men watch the Academy Awards, which indicates that they may be more more attracted to betting sites that offer the opportunity to wager on such events. At press, offshore bookmakers are offering betting odds on the likelihood of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle getting a divorce along with a hoard of other entertainment, lifestyle, and pop culture scenarios that are generally of more interest to young adult females. The problem, is that among the known dangers of offshore gambling sites, is a significantly greater risk of problem gambling. This is due to them not being held accountable by federal regulators to abide of Responsible Gambling Code of Conduct. Further, there is no offshore operator investment in problem gambling monitoring technology, nor in the development of partnerships with mental health support providers.
VII. Another Offshore Operator Concern for Women
Have a look at the map of which U.S. states have the most active women sports bettors:

Now consider the percentages of women from these top ten states who bet on sports at least once per month:
- New Mexico (35%)
- Iowa (32%)
- Virginia (29%)
- Tennessee (27%)
- New York (26%)
- Arkansas (22%)
- Connecticut (20%)
- Florida (19%)
- Massachusettes (17%)
- Arizona (14%)
There is a red flag here. You see, while sports betting is technically legal in the leading U.S. state of New Mexico, online sports betting is not yet legal in NM. This indicates that unless all female sports bettors in NM are only attending physical sportsbooks in the state, a notable amount are using offshore online sportsbooks. If you recall, 89% of Americans used offshore sportsbooks to wager on the 2024 Super Bowl, so the scenario is likely. As mentioned in the section above, there are no protections in place to guard individuals from gambling harms on offshore platforms.
VIII. Focus on Young Adult Male Support May Neglect Counterparts
Data has proven that young adult males (aged 18-34) have felt the brunt of mental health harms associated with the rise of sports betting in the United States. They have therefore been the focus of research initiatives and treatment programs. While absolutely necessary, there is a risk of the counterpart population being overlooked. Regulators and stakeholders have a unique opportunity to intervene with the young female sports betting population before their problem gambling numbers grow. The call for greater investment in research and support is loud and clear.
IX. Perceived Barriers to Problem Gambling Support
There are perceived barriers that may keep young adult women from seeking help for problematic sports betting behavior. An overseas study on the barriers to treatment for female problem gamblers found that perceptions about not having the time to access problem gambling specific treatment was an issue. Another more notable obstacle was perceived stigma from friends, family, and associates. With so much attention on problem gambling being afforded to young adult men (as per section VIII above) there is less of a stigma for males. The issue is far less publicized among young adult women, which may keep them in the shadows where addiction can fester and grow. Increased access and awareness of confidential and convenient virtual support for problem gambling is critical to successful intervention.
As discussed above, more research needs to be done on sports betting behavior among young women in the United States. This is one of the key points of this overview as we champion their cause through 2025 and beyond. In either case, if you or a loved one is struggling with problematic gambling behavior be sure to connect to a Kindbridge care coordinator for an assessment.
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