In the 1980s, research determined that approximately 10 percent of compulsive gamblers were women; by the early 1990s the figure was 50 percent. Women who have a gambling problem tend to have a 2 to 3 times higher incidence of substance abuse than other women. Women often use drugs or drink excessively while gambling and may, at times, substitute one for the other.

Female compulsive gamblers typically use gambling as a form of escape from bad situations at home, unhappiness, boredom, stress and other personal issues. As with substance abuse the compulsive gambler needs to gamble for longer periods of time with larger amounts of money to produce the same euphoria that was experienced in the beginning. Also, these women tend to think they are in control of the situation. They rationalize that they have developed a system for winning. When problems develop as a result of the gambling, women feel guilty and depressed, adding to feelings of low self-esteem. One in five women who are compulsive gamblers will consider suicide. Often women who become compulsive about gambling were involved in the activity for year without incident, and then a change in lifestyle such as divorce, death of a loved one or retirement many push them from social gambling to problem gambling.

At times women may not even be aware that they have a problem with gambling. Female gamblers tend to think of the activity as time for her. She might need to lie to get the money to gamble with or to get the time away from home and feels ashamed of the money she has lost and taken from her family. On the other hand, compulsive gamblers will use any win to validate continuing. These reasons as well as the problems that began the abusive behavior cause some women to delay seeking help for their addiction.

Treatment can take many forms ranging from support groups, problem gambling telephone help lines, individual counseling, and residential treatment programs. Each form of help offers unique benefits and must be selected based on the specific circumstance of the woman involved.