eCommerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA) has published the statistics resulting from the most comprehensive survey of online casino gamblers to date. There were several objectives making up the study, including a determination of what online gamblers look for the most in a gaming host as well as an analysis of the "average online gambler".

Indeed, eCOGRA CEO, Andrew Beveridge's earlier foretelling of surprising findings in the survey was no exaggeration. The average gambler, it turns out, is none other than the middle aged woman. Despite gambling lower stakes than men, women were more prolific in the amount of time spent gambling at online casino games. The findings are also consistent with the differences in motivating factors between men and women, which show that more women gamble online for a relaxing diversion and outlet, whereas men tend to participate in more high risk online gambling activities to satisfy a desire for arousal and excitement.

Another surprising finding was the demographic of online poker players. While it was expected the survey statistics would verify that the majority of online poker players are young and middle-aged men, nobody could have predicted the extent of such a finding. The survey shows that nearly three-quarters (74%) of online poker players are men aged 26-35, which exceeded the predictions made by gaming analysts.

Beveridge said that while the findings were surprising, they were also encouraging. He conceded that "fair play" in the online casino gambling industry unfortunately does not happen all the time, which is yet another reason why the online gaming industry needs regulation. The timing for regulation in the UK could not be better, for the internet gambling enforcement provisions of the 2005 UK Gambling Act (which eCOGRA helped to draw up) are beginning to go into effect.

View our list of approved eCOGRA Casinos for more information.