Why Don’t More Women Play Poker in Greece?

Outside of the annual Ladies Event, women make up anywhere from 2%-3% in most events, same regarding women poker in Greece and that’s fairly close to what you’ll find in a majority of poker tournaments just about anywhere in the world. As for cash games, there appears to be a slightly higher female turnout, but not that much.

Many poker players that plays poker in Greece and abroad have argued that because the average man has a higher income, they have more money to play poker. But the disparity in poker demographics can’t solely be explained by a wage or wealth gap between males and females, not when males represent 90% or more of the entire poker community. There has to be more to it, and a couple of female players gave their theories regarding female poker.

“Walking into a poker room for the first time can be intimidating to anyone,”. Poker is predominantly a male’s game. New females to the game are looking for someone to walk them through the process.”

“If men want to help grow poker, then teach your girlfriend, wife, sister, or Mom how to play. Invite them to join your games,”

”I think being interested in poker, and interested in poker enough to take it seriously and play professionally is where I see a big gap. I’ve known many women who are interested initially, & then get bored with ‘the grind’, learning and studying the game,”

The women that take poker seriously are very successful. I wish more women would dive in. I love poker and always will,”

 There was far from a general consensus on social media as to why women are so underrepresented. Arguments ranged from poker simply not being a game that women enjoy to men creating an intimidating environment.

Lena Evans, founder of the Poker League of Nations, the world’s largest women’s poker organization, said one of the main reasons for a lack of female representation in the game is due to limited bankrolls, and that’s based off an exhaustive study she conducted. Her groups strives to help bring more women into the game by staking them and creating non-intimidating PLON leagues at members’ homes.