Women and gambling harm
For years, gambling harm was spoken about as something that mainly affected men. Men still gamble more often overall, but women are a significant part of the picture, especially as gambling has moved onto phones and into everyday life.
Australian data from the National Gambling Prevalence Study pilot found that 35.9% of men and 28.3% of women reported gambling at least monthly. In terms of more serious harm, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reported that in 2022, 2.4% of men and 1.2% of women were in the “high-risk” category on a commonly used gambling harm measure. Internationally, a large 2024 systematic review also found higher gambling participation among men than women (about 49% vs 37%), while estimating 1.41% of adults were affected by problematic gambling.
So, the overall “rates” still look higher in men, but women and families are being affected in very real ways, and easier access means some people slide into harm without anyone noticing until things feel out of control.
The missing statistic: “How common is cycle-linked gambling?”
Many people ask: “Do we know how many menstruating women gamble more before their period?” The honest answer is we don’t have a clear national number yet. Most big surveys don’t ask when in the menstrual cycle gambling happens, so we can’t say “X% gamble more premenstrually” with confidence.
What we do have is early research suggesting that the menstrual cycle can change mood and decision-making in ways that might make gambling feel more tempting at certain times. One well-known study that followed women gamblers found that mood tended to be worse in the days before menstruation, and some measures suggested more time and money spent gambling around menstruation, but it also found something many people don’t expect: riskier gambling behaviours were more likely around ovulation (mid-cycle) than in other phases.
Why periods can change mood
Many people feel changes in the one to two weeks before bleeding starts. This can include irritability, feeling teary, anxiety, low mood, poor sleep, fatigue, and feeling “on edge.” The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists describe premenstrual syndrome PMS as physical and emotional symptoms in the two weeks before a period, which usually improve once the period starts.
For some, symptoms are more severe and disabling. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a recognised condition where emotional symptoms become intense and life-disrupting in the lead-up to a period. Jean Hailes (Australia’s national women’s health organisation) notes PMDD symptoms often start one to two weeks before the period and usually settle after bleeding begins, and it encourages tracking symptoms over a couple of cycles to confirm the pattern.
The key idea is simple: during certain parts of the cycle, some brains become more sensitive to stress and less tolerant of overload. Sleep can worsen, emotions can feel stronger, and the urge for quick comfort can increase.
How this can affect gambling
Gambling products are built around fast reward and fast distraction. When someone feels tense, flat, lonely, stressed, or exhausted, their brain naturally looks for relief. A betting app can feel like a quick “switch off,” even if it later leads to guilt, secrecy, arguments, or money problems.
The World Health Organisation describes gambling disorder as involving loss of control, gambling becoming a higher priority than other parts of life and continuing despite harm. That description matters because cycle-linked mood swings can lower our “buffer” against impulses. If your toughest days cluster predictably each month, gambling can become a learned coping shortcut, not because you’re weak, but because the brain is trying to regulate discomfort quickly.
Research supports parts of this picture: mood tends to worsen premenstrually for many women, and in female gamblers, patterns of spending, time, and risk can shift across the cycle, sometimes peaking premenstrually/menstrually and sometimes around ovulation depending on the person.
What helps: Steps that don’t rely on “willpower”
The most helpful approach is to treat this like a predictable pattern you can plan around, not a personal failure.
Start by noticing timing. Women’s health guidance often recommends keeping a simple symptom diary across two cycles to identify patterns and triggers. You can do the same with gambling urges: note the days cravings spike, what was happening before the urge, and what the gambling promised you in that moment (escape, excitement, relief, numbness). Once you see the pattern, it’s easier to protect the vulnerable days.
Next, reduce access when you know you’re at risk. In Australia, BetStop is a free government initiative that blocks you from all licensed online and phone wagering services in one step. It’s widely used: by 31 December 2025, 54,859 people had registered and 35,135 had active exclusions. This isn’t punishment. It’s a safety rail that protects you from making decisions you’ll regret when emotions are running high.
Support also matters, because gambling harm often comes with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship strain, and shame. Evidence-based guidelines recommend psychological treatments such as Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and motivational approaches and emphasise making support easy to access. In Australia, Gambling Help Online offers free, 24/7 support, and services like Gambler’s Help (including in Victoria) provide confidential counselling for the person gambling and for family members affected by it. Women and gambling harm
Finally, if premenstrual symptoms are severe, affecting work, relationships, parenting, or your sense of safety, please speak with your GP or a women’s health clinician. PMS and PMDD are treatable, and improving the emotional “storm” can reduce the urge to seek quick relief through gambling.
The aim isn’t perfection. It’s a safer, calmer month, where your normal cycle doesn’t become the moment a gambling product takes advantage of you.
Read more: Breaking the silence: Sex after menopause
