So many women have become interested in the normally male-centered sport of poker that women’s poker merchandise has become a growing trend among shops that produce poker products and apparel. This isn’t surprising, given that recent studies and polls of the online gambling world have found that women players make up almost half of all of the registered online gamers, and about 30% identify themselves as dedicated poker players.
Some experts have suggested that this surge in interest from women is due to the fact that they can play a few hands of poker without ever leaving the house or taking too much time out of their already hectic days. Online poker can be the perfect outlet for women who can engage in this internet community without having to worry about neglecting their children or husbands. And although men’s poker nights are well established, “girls’ night out” poker games aren’t as common, leaving women poker players to seek other communities in which to test their skills.
While some of the women’s poker merchandise is geared more at making the women seem cutesy – with slogans like “Stacked”, spelled out in front of a large bundle of chips – others actually tout the proficiency that many women have shown in the world of online poker. There are even some special poker chips that cater to women who like to play in local women’s poker clubs. This recent growth of merchandise geared specifically at women players means that people have begun to realize how much of the market these players comprise. After all, poker merchants wouldn’t produce these items unless there was a large enough target audience that they were sure they’d make a return on their investment.
If the number of women players continues to increase, this merchandise will become even more common, until it’s eventually carried in large clothing chains. Consequently, as more items become available that are aimed at women’s poker, more women will become aware of the game. It’s a cycle that could lead to many women getting actively involved in the sport – both online and on the casino floor. This is good news for many women who have longed for a competitive atmosphere in which they could compete with many of the male players. In poker, success doesn’t come from speed or agility, but rather with intelligence, intuition, luck, and the ability to bluff. In other words, it’s anyone’s game – regardless of their gender.
So, if the promotion of women’s poker as a sport continues and the numbers of women who are logging on each day to play in women’s poker clubs and leagues keeps rising, you can be sure that there will be a correlating rise in the marketing of merchandise and gear to this demographic. While some of the women who buy this merchandise may not actively participate in the sport of poker, all of them are helping to make people more aware of those women that do, which can only help the growing community of women players.