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Women experience guilt, shame and exclusion in gaming culture, study finds

Published

4 months ago

August 29, 2025

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

A new study has found that women experience guilt and shame around playing games, and that this is related to feeling excluded from the traditionally male pastime.

The study surveyed 1,000 women of all ages across the UK who play mobile games – the most popular way for women to play – on how they felt about gaming.

The research was led by Dr Steph Rennick, Lecturer in Interactive Media at the University of Stirling, and Dr Seán Roberts, Lecturer in Communication at Cardiff University, in partnership with Swedish gaming studio Undone Games.

There is a growing number of women gamers, with 51% of women now gaming in some capacity compared to 53% of men, however women are still underrepresented in many game genres and in the content of games.

In the survey, 41% of women agreed that playing games is one of the things they most look forward to each day, but almost 60% felt that they do not play enough games to consider themselves a gamer, and more than 30% agreed that they would be embarrassed to call themselves one.

Dr Rennick said: “The study shows many women feel excluded from video game culture, with significant numbers of women feeling guilty about playing video games and worrying about what others think of them taking time to play games.

“Interestingly, feeling guilty or keeping secrets about gaming did not correlate with how much time women spent playing games. We expected a significant proportion of women to report feelings of guilt around playing video games and taking leisure time more generally. But while we thought feelings of guilt or shame would have a negative impact on the amount of time women spent playing games, we didn’t find such a connection. Those who feel guilty or keep secrets don’t play less, but they feel worse.”

Using machine learning techniques to identify connections in the data, the experts found some striking patterns. For example, younger players were more likely to feel guilty about playing video games, with those aged 16-24 being three times more likely to strongly agree that they feel guilty about taking time to play than those aged 55+.

Guilt also seemed to be related to whether women felt they fit into gaming culture, with 60% of women surveyed saying that they do not play enough games to consider themselves a gamer.

Women were twice as likely to feel guilty if they thought that gaming was mainly a male pastime (46% vs 23%) or if they said they would be embarrassed to call themselves a gamer (55% vs. 35%). In contrast, women who felt that occasionally playing any game made you a gamer were 42% less likely to feel guilty.

The survey also found that 75% of respondents classified themselves as casual gamers, but a quarter of these were also spending more than an hour per day playing video games on a PC or console.

Strikingly, even amongst women who spent more than five hours a day playing games on mobile, console or PC, only one in six identified as a hardcore gamer.

Dr Seán Roberts, who researches gaming at Cardiff University, said: “When I ask people if they play video games, women often say no. But if you ask about playing games on a mobile, many of them will suddenly say yes. It’s like they have an idea of what a real gamer is in their heads, and they feel like they don’t meet that ideal.”

There appears to be a link between shame and worrying what others think of you, with 16% keeping gaming a secret from friends and family for fear of judgement.

Women who reported feeling anxious or depressed when scrolling social media were twice as likely to keep gaming a secret compared to women who were not (31% vs 12%).

Furthermore, feeling and expressing pride in gaming as a woman is a difficult balancing act: women who felt very proud of their achievements in games were slightly more likely to keep it a secret than those who did not feel as proud (22% vs. 14%). In contrast, women who were motivated to play games to challenge themselves were half as likely to keep it a secret (11% vs 20%).

Dr Roberts added: “Women tend to spend less time playing if they feel they don’t fit into gaming culture – for example if they believe that gaming is a male pastime, or that they don’t play enough games to be a gamer, are embarrassed to call themselves a gamer, or think video games are too violent. In contrast, women spend more time playing if they are proud of their gaming achievements.

“This suggests that guilt and shame are just symptoms. While these are clearly negatively impacting women gamers, they may not be the root of the problem. Instead, removing barriers to play for women may require deeper changes such as reducing leisure inequality between men and women.”

The post Women experience guilt, shame and exclusion in gaming culture, study finds appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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GoldenRace launches Goal2Win to bridge the gap between football and numbers

Published

2 weeks ago

December 9, 2025

Adrienn Sarkany

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Reading Time: 2 minutes

The world of sports betting and gaming is set for a major shake-up with the launch of GoldenRace’s innovative, new number game, Goal2Win, designed to captivate the massive global football audience. Goal2Win successfully bridges the gap between the universal passion for the “king of sports” and the proven thrill of number-based predictions, offering partners a fresh, high-potential product for monetisation.

Goal2Win is a premium offering that takes the familiar, classic number game format and integrates it with a dynamic, football-centric theme. This unique combination makes the game instantly recognisable yet excitingly new, appealing both to seasoned sports bettors and newcomers seeking an engaging, simplified experience.

Goal2Win is GoldenRace’s proposal to mix innovation and tradition. It offers operators a product that leverages the immense reach of football fandom while delivering the straightforward, engaging gameplay and massive win potential expected from a top-tier number game. It’s a compelling blend of excitement, simplicity, and significant reward potential.

Key features driving engagement and potential winnings:

Goal2Win is engineered for maximum player retention and high stakes, boasting dynamic gameplay and powerful features:

Multiplier feature: Players can place the same set of bets across an impressive twenty-two consecutive events, significantly driving up potential winnings and ensuring sustained engagement over time.
Jackpots and Mega Jackpots: The game includes tiered winnings with both standard Jackpots and highly coveted Mega Jackpots, promising life-changing sums and acting as a powerful player motivator.
Quick picks: For rapid access to the action, the Quick picks option allows the system to randomly select numbers, streamlining the betting process for players.
Row/Column selector: Enhancing the user experience, selector buttons enable players to easily pick an entire row or column of numbers, simplifying sophisticated betting.

Goal2Win represents a unique opportunity for operators to tap into the immense global football fanbase with a product that is both innovative and instantly recognisable. It stands poised to become a staple offering, driving higher stakes and attracting a broader demographic to the operators’ portfolio.

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PayAdmit partners with Yaspa to integrate Pay by Bank on its payments platform

Published

2 weeks ago

December 9, 2025

Adrienn Sarkany

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Reading Time: < 1 minute

Yaspa, the Pay by Bank fintech, today announced a partnership with PayAdmit, the London-based payment software provider and orchestrator used by merchants across eCommerce, iGaming and digital services. The integration brings Pay by Bank to PayAdmit’s platform, giving its merchants a faster, secure, cost-effective way to accept customer payments with real-time confirmation.

PayAdmit offers a modular payments stack that includes White Label, Cashier Service, Payment Bridge and Payment Concierge Service — a high-touch support layer for resolving payment issues in real time. The platform aggregates 350+ global payment methods and provides streamlined onboarding, enabling merchants to go live in as little as 14 days.

Adding Yaspa gives PayAdmit’s clients a high-conversion bank payment option built for speed, conversion and compliance.

Yaspa’s Head of Commercial, Amie Kadhim, said: “PayAdmit moves fast and sets a high bar on payment performance, reliability and checkout experience. We’re excited to power their next chapter with instant bank payments that are speedy, secure and deliver a smooth, mobile-first experience – boosting approval rates and settling funds immediately.”

For PayAdmit’s merchants, the integration with Yaspa delivers:

Real-time deposit confirmation
Lower processing costs versus traditional methods i.e. debit and credit cards
Reduced fraud and chargeback risk with bank-level authentication
A smoother mobile journey with no card details to key in

Yaspa’s benefits align with PayAdmit’s focus on performance, security and a modern, merchant-friendly toolkit.

Vladyslav Kolodistyi, CEO of PayAdmit added: “Our mission is to give merchants a flexible, future-proof payments stack. Partnering with Yaspa adds a best-in-class, instant bank payment option, so clients get higher conversion with less complexity.”

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Continent 8 appoints Julia Weygandt as Head of Client Growth & New Business

Published

2 weeks ago

December 9, 2025

Adrienn Sarkany

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Reading Time: < 1 minute

Continent 8 Technologies, a leading provider of cutting-edge managed IT solutions designed for the global iGaming and online sports betting industry, announces the appointment of Julia Weygandt as Head of Client Growth & New Business.

Based in Malta, Julia will spearhead strategic initiatives to drive customer growth and capture new market opportunities globally, working closely with the existing Sales team and Practice Leads.

Julia brings over 20 years of experience in gaming, entertainment, and technology, with a proven track record in commercial strategy, international market expansion, and strategic partnerships. Her career includes senior roles such as COO at G Games and Tornado Games, and Head of International Partnerships at GAMOMAT, where she successfully scaled operations and delivered significant revenue growth.

Julia is an active advocate for diversity and leadership in gaming, serving as a Board member for Global Gaming Women and leading partnerships for the Behind the Gloves initiative, which combines boxing and corporate engagement to support charitable causes.

Nick Nally, Chief Revenue Officer at Continent 8 Technologies, commented: “Julia’s appointment reflects our commitment to delivering exceptional value and growth opportunities for our customers. Her deep industry knowledge, commercial acumen, and passion for building strong partnerships make her an outstanding addition to our team. We are excited to see the impact she will have as we continue to expand globally.”

Julia Weygandt, Head of Client Growth & New Business, added: “I’ve known the Continent 8 team for a long time; they are a trusted and respected partner to the world’s leading iGaming operators and suppliers, and I am thrilled to join at such an exciting time. My focus will be on driving client success through innovative solutions and strategic growth initiatives, ensuring we continue to lead in this fast-evolving industry.”

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