‘Birds like a bet – give free lipsticks to make them play’
WOMEN represent a vast untapped market for betting firms because ‘birds like a bet’, an expert told conference guests.
Christina Thakor-Rankin, who runs the 1710 Gaming gambling consultancy, said women were a new demographic, calling them ‘low-hanging fruit’ and ‘incredibly lucrative’.
All the major brands targeted men, with the exception ‘novelty bets’ such as who will win Strictly Come dancing, she said. This was despite Gambling Commission figures showing that a third of in-play betting was done by women.
She said: ‘Women bet with their hearts rather than their heads.
‘They’re not looking at statistics or Oddschecker. Birds like a bet. All of you are missing an opportunity.’
Miss Thakor-Rankin, who has worked for William Hill, Blue Square, Totesport and Virgin Games, said the key was offering content online that created a talking point.
She added: ‘How many of you know a woman who doesn’t have an opinion?
‘How many of you know a woman who for four years has a go at you for watching football but come the World Cup is an expert and will watch it with you?
‘How many of you understand that there are more female influences on social media than men?
‘We are now moving to a tipping point generationally where 2020 will see millennials [become] the biggest generation ever and this group of people want gender equality. What we are starting to see are women saying “why can’t we do it?”’
She said one way to encourage new customers was to send them a gift unrelated to gambling, adding: ‘In the case of women it could be a lipstick.’
She told the Mail: ‘There are women who enjoy the Grand National, the World Cup, but who aren’t often thought of as gamblers. They’re an opportunity.
‘Gambling always will be divisive. We need to make sure that correct support systems are in place to help those people who are addicted.’
Another executive said there was a ‘huge opportunity’ to target women, but gambling firms needed to create more ‘recreational’ games without complex odds, which put them off.
Bookies sponsor almost half of Premier League football clubs’ shirts – but not everyone in the industry appears to understand the strict rules involved.
No one under 25 should feature in a gambling advert, but one major betting firm is said to have sought to use an England international to promote betting when he was just 21.
One of those who brokered a deal with the firm recalled that after discussing details of the age limit, they were still asked to hire one player who would not turn 25 for four more years.