The downside to so many women taking up gambling is the increase in the risk of a gambling addiction.

The underlying reasons for why women gamble make women more susceptible to becoming addicted. A woman who gambles as a means of escape may find that the more she gambles, the more she can ignore her problems. Women who gamble for economic reasons find that they can become addicted as they try to win the elusive jackpot that will cover their rapidly mounting gambling losses.

Convenience Gambling

The reason that most gambling counselors give as the cause for the boost in women’s gambling addiction is the increasing availability of gambling outlets. First of all, the growth of the multi-state lotteries like Power Ball regularly have women spending record amounts in hopes of winning jackpots that can go into the hundreds of millions. Studies have shown that states with these mega-lotteries have seen a sharp increase in lottery revenue, and as the economy slides downward, for many, their only hope of becoming wealthy is to hit the jackpot. Unfortunately, those who can least afford it tend to spend the most on tickets and never miss a jackpot.

Secondly, video gaming machines have been taken from back rooms and sit on bar counters or behind bowling lanes or in a corner at the neighborhood deli. The temptation is great to try it just once. Because the game is out in the open, easily accessible, there is no stigma attached to gambling on it.

The recent boom in casino openings and the growing legalization of gambling in states has made gambling mainstream. Casinos have become vacation hot-spots. Casino owners know how to lure visitors in once and keep them coming back. And as casinos cater more to a female patronage, there are more opportunities for women to get hooked on gambling.

And lastly, the rise in on-line casino gambling has also taken its toll on women. It is incredibly easy to spend an entire day on-line without even noticing how much time or how many dollars has disappeared.

Finding Help

There is help out there for women who believe they have a gambling addiction. Organizations that can help include Gamblers Anonymous and The National Council on Problem Gambling with a nationwide hotline number of 1-800-522-4700.

Every woman deserves the chance to get away from it all, and what better way to do that than take a couple of days off with girlfriends.

Women-only vacations are becoming more popular, and casinos, like any other vacation destination, are offering incentives for women vacationing without male companions or families.

A Day in a Spa

A number of casinos now offer the height of luxury for women – a day spa. Women can take a break from the gambling floors and enjoy body wraps, facials, massage, and pedicures. A weekend to the casinos complete with a spa visit has become a popular bachelorette party destination.

For women that would like to spend their non-gambling time outdoors, the Sycuan Resort and Casino in San Diego offers a special women-only casino and golf package. A small group of girlfriends can take lessons from LPGA golf pros. The all-inclusive price is for a three-day lesson package or a five-day lesson package and includes meals, airport shuttle, deluxe rooms, and lessons and lesson materials.

What make makes a girls’ trip to the casinos more fun is the wide variety of things for them to do. Because casinos are making more of an effort to attract women, there is much more for women to do without their husbands or boyfriends. Casino vacations can be planned around shopping trips. Some women schedule a casino vacation around a performance of a favorite music artist making a one-time appearance or decide to get tickets to a long-running popular show.

Getting There by Bus

For women who live in the Northeastern part of the United States, bus trips to Atlantic City’s casino are an excellent way for women to take some time to get away and have fun with the girls without worrying about being away overnight. Atlantic City’s casinos are one of the country’s most popular day-trip destinations. Most bus trips include money to spend on gambling in specific casinos. But a day in Atlantic City can also include some time on the beach (if the weather cooperates) or walking along the Boardwalk before hitting the casinos.

Gambling with Girlfriends

Frankly, sometimes gambling with girlfriends is more fun than gambling with husbands or boyfriends. Women are less likely to take gambling seriously than men and consequently can enjoy themselves more. And in a group, women are more likely to try new games.

Not so long ago, casinos expected and wanted male patrons. Women, casino management believed, were bad news for casinos, and nothing was done to encourage their patronage.

How times have changed. Now, not only are women welcome, but casino management is going out of its way to make their establishments more attractive to women and families.

The Growth of Slot Machines

In the old days, casinos mostly consisted of tables with male dealers and male patrons. If some men brought their wives along, a few slot machines were available to keep them busy and out of the way of the “real” gambling.

Today, slot machines, still the preferred method of gambling among women, take in approximately 60% of a casino’s revenue. The influx of slot machines recognized the fact that women enjoy gambling.

Another change on the casino floor is the number of female dealers at the table. In Las Vegas, for example, half of the dealers are women. Male gamblers like having female dealers, which is probably the real reason for the shift, while female gamblers feel more comfortable and less intimidated with dealers of the same sex.

Amenities

The changes to attract women to casinos are not just happening in the gambling areas, but throughout the casinos themselves.

As casinos expand, rebuild, or remodel, they are adding large shopping centers and spas. Even entertainment has shifted. Although the casinos still have show girls and fight nights, there are plenty of pop stars and Broadway-style shows that attract a primarily female audience.

Some casinos have even put together special vacation packages especially for women patrons. These packages can include gambling and shows, shopping, spas, or other activities.

Online for Women

Even online casinos are doing what they can to attract a female clientele. There are a few women-only online casinos, and some have women-only rooms.

Finally, the casinos are recognizing that today’s woman has her own disposable income and that she enjoys gambling and the casino environment. That casino operators are learning to make their establishment women-friendly is a benefit to all women.

Even the most dedicated gambler needs to take time out to eat. An abundance of food is easy to find, inside and outside of the casinos.

Casino Buffets

Casino buffets are well known. The super-large spreads offer such a range of choices that even the pickiest eater will be satisfied.

The casinos originally began serving the buffet meals at a low-cost as a way to keep gamblers in the building, rather than them taking long meal breaks.

Today, the casino buffets remain a popular meal choice. The all-you-can-eat meals range in price from $10-$40 and usually serve foods ranging from standard salad bar fare to sushi to King crab legs to crème brulee. The higher the buffet price, the more variety and more sophisticated the menu. A change from the original intent of the casino buffet is that now, instead of using them to keep patrons from leaving, the buffets are used to entice patrons into entering. Many casinos offer special prices, hoping to bring in people who may not otherwise visit the casino.

Restaurants

Most casinos also have a number of sit-down restaurants available, ranging from coffee shops to very formal dining. Patrons in Atlantic City casinos have the opportunity to dine in restaurants with ocean and boardwalk views, while patrons on riverboat casinos may be able to have a Mississippi River view during their meal.

Caesar’s Atlantic City is home to a restaurant called Bacchanal, which features a five-course feast with dancers, musicians, and wine goddesses for meal-time entertainment. Diners are also treated to shoulder massages and back rubs, which feel heavenly after a day hunched over slot machines.

Favorite Cuisines

Although a typical casino may feature a dozen or more restaurants, the cuisine is that is found is fairly standard. Italian food and steakhouses appear to be the most popular types of foods, but most casinos will also feature Chinese and Mexican restaurants, as well as delis and sushi bars.

Patrons can also find chain restaurants such as the Hard Rock Café and Sbarro’s pizza in and around the casinos.

Sampling Local Foods

For native specialties, however, casino guests will need to head outside. Along the Mississippi River, many of the towns by the casinos feature small-town diners and locally-owned restaurants.

One thing is for sure – hungry gamblers will have no trouble finding something good to eat.

Let’s face it. When women go on vacation, they like to shop. Even if the vacation is in Las Vegas, a woman can’t spend all of her time gambling. If she is going to lose money anyway, she may as well do it with a purchase or two to show for it. More ideally, what better way to celebrate a jackpot win than with a big shopping trip.

Shopping on the Strip

Las Vegas has become a shopping town, as well as a gambling town. Within a half mile, the determined shopper has a choice of 510 stores, found in Aladdin’s Desert Passage, Caesar’s Forum Shops, Venetian’s Grand Canal Shoppes, and the Fashion Show Mall.

The stores on the strip tend to be high-end specialty shops, catering to tourists. But one of the joys of shopping is finding stores not found at home.

One such shop is M&M World in the Showcase Mall next to the MGM Hotel and Casino. M&M World is a four-floor store devoted to M&M candies. There, the chocoholic can purchase M&Ms by the color and munch on them while watching a 3D M&M movie, then buy some novelty clothes and other items.

For those who like vintage clothes, The Attic has found recent fame on a credit card commercial. Part clothing store, part museum, the Attic does charge a dollar admission (for the museum). It also boasts to being the largest vintage clothing store in the world, specializing in clothes from the 60s and 70s, as well as featuring its own clothing line.

Hotel Shops

Shopping in the hotels is an experience all its own. The hotel-casino shopping malls complement the casino theme, so one can feel like she is shopping along the streets of Paris or beside a Venetian canal, with gondolas and Italian architecture. Be warned, however, the hotel stores are, for the most part, extremely expensive. Most of them, too, are chain stores. On the other hand, if it was a good day at the slot machines, these shops would be worth the splurge.

On a Budget

For those who cannot or do not want to spend all their money in the hotel shops, Las Vegas offers budget shopping. Outlet malls on the edge of town include shops like Nine West and Saks 5th Avenue. There are shuttles available to some off-strip shopping areas.

And since no vacation is complete without souvenirs, there are shops inside the casino and around town, with enough diversity to match any shopper’s taste and budget.