Women in Poker: Is it a Taboo?

The first evidence of the taboo is the enormous disproportion between male and female players. The figures paint a clear picture of a traditionally male-dominated space:

• Low Female Representation: According to a 2022 study, women represented only 4% of participants in elite tournaments such as the world series of poker (https://www.casino.us/poker/tournaments/wsop/) (wsop (https://www.casino.us/poker/tournaments/wsop/)). Another analysis in Spain revealed that, in online poker (https://www.casino.us/poker/), barely 12% of players are women.

• Economic Obstacles: This gap is not accidental. A 2021 survey by the Women's Poker Association (WPA) indicated that 25% of women do not play poker due to a lack of funds to finance the practice, an obstacle that is rarely mentioned to the same degree for men.

I’m not sure if it’s considered taboo — that probably varies by country or local culture —

but there clearly is a large difference in the number of

male compared with female players.

No, I know one person who can compete with male players at the table)))

I find it totally encouraged. smart players only like fish

I can’t claim there’s discrimination because I don’t perceive any. It appears women and men are treated equally in poker. If a woman or a man doesn’t have money, they can join CardsChat and take part in our fun freerolls (https://www.casino.us/poker/best-freerolls/). I believe the key factor is the desire.

So what does taboo have to do with it? Personally, I’ve never heard any criticism toward women in poker. The real question is for the female community — why don’t they play in the same numbers as men? I’d be interested to hear their arguments.

Most women do not want to play poker for money on a regular basis. While some women have won bracelets and WPT titles, that has not produced a surge of female players.

Women are great at poker I think it's all about logic. They can lose you a lot. xd

I don't observe any taboo or discrimination here. Online you can play with a high degree of anonymity. Poker might not be the trendiest game for many women, but I don't understand how women would be discouraged.

Everyone wants to see women succeed and at the same time, everyone ONLY wants to watch the highest level of professionals. If a woman can't compete at the highest level (in anything) it will never be as popular

I don't think it's anymore...

Good morning, everyone.

In my opinion, women are not as attracted to games as men are. In other words, there are many more men who enjoy video games, arcades, and card games than women. I think this is completely normal. There are professions where we see far more women than men. For example, in nursing, the vast majority are women, and there are few men working in that field.

I do not believe this is a taboo or a matter of lack of resources. I think that, in general, women simply do not show as much interest in card games, arcade games, or video games as men do. The proportion of interested men seems to be higher.

As for the financial aspect, it is possible to build a bankroll (https://www.casino.us/poker/strategy/poker-bankroll-management/) by playing freerolls. When I started, I practically did not invest a single cent. I only played freerolls and gradually built my bankroll. From 2018 until today, the main income I earn basically comes from freeroll tournaments. Therefore, I do not believe the issue is money, but rather interest.

Regarding the women I see playing online poker, I believe many of them are very talented. I can mention several female players who are excellent. In fact, many who play for teams even play better than I do — which, to be honest, is not very difficult. They dedicate themselves a lot and play very well.

So, I do not see this as a taboo. I believe the main issue is simply a difference in interest.

Hi, a taboo is something you never do. But there ARE women in poker, and nobody is banning women from entering any tournament. It's like snooker—women seldom play these sorts of, let's call them, bar-style games. The mindset of our era simply hasn't yet shifted fully that way, because only a few decades ago, even in the most developed countries, women were staying at home with the children while men brought the money home from work, if they hadn't lost it in a bar on the way home against a river ace. It's just evolutionarily shaped that way. But I'm sure, in like 100 years, there will be at least 40% women in poker games (https://www.casino.us/poker/games/).

Nope, just another player at the table... I don't care about age, nationality, or gender — let's play cards

Women in poker are a wonderful decoration at the table! In any case, I don't see any prohibitions here, since all players are equal. Women often play more unpredictably and are more prone to mood swings, which adds a certain spark during the hands (https://www.casino.us/poker/strategy/poker-hands/). 😏

Poker is like many other sports or activities where the majority of players are men, but that doesn’t mean women can’t play. In fact, I think it’s a good idea to have women-only live events to encourage better integration and participation in poker.

That said, it’s difficult to promote something heavily when, as you mentioned, around 88% of online players are men. Still, creating events that specifically support and encourage women can be a bridge that poker rooms use to increase the overall number of players.

Women can be very tricky poker players — you shouldn’t underestimate them. You can easily pay the price for it and end up looking like a fool. 😉

naturally it isn't; a player is simply a player

I notice the personality

I think most of women dont know the game, if they know it there will be more female players of course.

I don’t believe it’s taboo anymore, but poker has long been a male-dominated scene. For decades it carried a “men’s club” vibe (casinos (https://www.casino.us/), card rooms, high-stakes cash games), and those networks evolve slowly.

Online poker is entirely anonymous, yet the participation gap remains. That points more toward differences in interests and cultural habits than active exclusion.

Visibility still matters. The more successful women we see at the top tiers, the more they encourage newcomers. At the end of the day, at the table only one thing counts: the quality of decisions.

I think it's only increasing as poker became more popular nowadays. I see a lot of women streamers on Twitch.

Foxen performs strongly and comes out victorious

The gender gap in poker is real, and it’s influenced by multiple factors cultural, economic, and social. Poker has historically been marketed and portrayed as a male-dominated environment, which can discourage participation before someone even sits at a table. Representation matters; when women rarely see themselves reflected in media, final tables, or sponsorships, the game can feel less accessible. Economic barriers can also play a role, especially if access to disposable income, staking networks, or poker communities differs. But it’s important to frame this as a structural issue rather than ability poker is a skill-based game where gender does not determine performance. The solution likely lies in better inclusivity, visibility, and supportive communities rather than assuming inherent differences in talent or interest.

No Taboo here.

As a grandma poker player, I stated playing poker on line, to fill in the empty nest syndrome.

I found myself isolated out of my own province and in my 50s.

When I was young, I would of never been interested in losing precious hours of my time at a poker table. Playing mind games.

My interest were about love, family, home and career.

Poker was about old Western movies with John Wayne. Hehe Absolutely Passee!

I believe it's natural that relatively few women play poker; it's something more men tend to enjoy.

Certainly not.

Poker has long been framed and marketed as a male-dominated activity, which reinforces the imbalance and makes the space less inviting for women. Cultural expectations, table dynamics, and outdated stereotypes all play a role, it’s not a lack of ability, but a lack of inclusion and representation.

That being said, the Ladies can outplay the Men anytime/anyplace.

Yeeeeeah... 😂

...it can be taboo in places where women can't drive, were hijabs, doesn't have same power that men's have... In other places is the same! 😉

I believe there are numerous socioeconomic factors explaining why we observe many more men at the tables than women, but I don't think this reflects any innate ability. Anyone who underestimates an opponent because of perceived differences is likely to lose substantial amounts of money over time

No, it shouldn’t be a taboo at all.

Poker is a skill-based game, not gender-based. Anyone with discipline, study, and mental strength can succeed.

The field is still male-dominated, but that’s changing year by year.

More women are crushing tournaments and cash games at high levels.

The goal should be inclusivity — poker is for anyone who loves the game.

Табу с первым зажиганием света представляет собой огромную диспропорцию между мужчинами и женщинами-игроками. Цифры ясно показывают, что в этой сфере традиционно доминируют мужчины:

• Низкое представительство женщин: согласно исследованию 2022 года, женщины составляют всего 4% участников элитных турниров, таких как Мировая серия покера (WSOP). Другой анализ, проведенный в Испании, показал, что в онлайн-покере женщины составляют едва 12% игроков.

• Экономические препятствия: этот разрыв не произошел. Опрос, проведенный в 2021 году Женской покерной ассоциацией (WPA), показал, что 25% женщин не играют в покер из-за нехватки средств для финансирования этой практики — проблемы, которая редко упоминается в такой же степени в отношении мужчин.

NO! On the contrary, the presence of women in poker has been one of the main factors in the growth and popularization of the game in recent years. Although poker has historically been considered a “men's club”, today the situation has changed dramatically. For example, Vanessa Selbst : with three wsop (https://www.casino.us/poker/tournaments/wsop/) bracelets and over $11 million in prize money, she has long been considered one of the most dangerous aggressive players in the world, or Kristen Foxen (Bicknell) : is one of the best modern players, multiple winner of the “Woman Player of the Year” title.

Women in poker are a wonderful decoration at the table! In any case, I don't see any prohibitions here, since all players are equal. Women often play more unpredictably and are more prone to mood swings, which adds a certain spark during the hands. 😏

Sorry, I don't see this at all, quite the opposite as far as I can tell. One of my criticisms if women poker players, in general, is that they are too predictable, too ABC. This means they probably lose less than most men making them better as a whole but perhaps holding them back from reaching the highest levels. Of course there are exceptions but even taking into account their small percentage of the player pool they seem to be noticeably unrepresented among the most elite players.

As far as being emotional I actually find women to be amazingly even tempered at the table with the vast number of outbursts and general bad behavior coming from the men. I don't think I've ever seen a woman criticize a player after losing a big hand. I don't see them aggressively mucking their cards after bricking a draw or complain about being card dead. Just last year a player at a WSOP cicuit event overturned several full tables after busting out. NOT A WOMAN! I know this goes against the stereotype but let's face it, when it comes to poker, and games in general, men are by far more emotional.

Not at all — women in poker shouldn’t be considered a taboo. Poker is a game of skill, strategy, and mental discipline, and gender has nothing to do with the ability to succeed.

The perception of poker as a “male-dominated” game is more about history and participation rates than actual ability. There are many top female players, like Vanessa Selbst, Maria Ho, and Kathy Liebert, who have proven they can compete at the highest levels.

The conversation should focus on talent, experience, and dedication, not gender. The more inclusive poker becomes, the stronger and more dynamic the community will be.

men or woman not discrimination both deseve the same treatement in poker world

I don’t think it’s taboo anymore, just uncommon.

There are fewer women in poker mostly because fewer women start playing, not because they can’t compete. Players like Vanessa Selbst and Liv Boeree showed that skill matters more than anything.

I don't believe that nowadays it is a still a taboo for women to play poker . They can play poker and noone will judge them for that , at least not most of the male players for sure . But women don't gamble so much , the percentage of women that play or have tried poker is smaller , gar smaller than the persentage of men played .maybe it's the nature of the game , the gambling (https://www.casino.us/) aspect , the bluffing (https://www.casino.us/poker/strategy/bluffing/) , who knows .

I don’t think it should be a taboo at all. Poker is a game of skill and anyone can succeed regardless of gender. In fact, it’s great to see more women joining the game and competing at a high level.

I don't believe that nowadays it is a still a taboo for women to play poker . They can play poker and noone will judge them for that , at least not most of the male players for sure . But women don't gamble so much , the percentage of women that play or have tried poker is smaller , gar smaller than the persentage of men played .maybe it's the nature of the game , the gambling aspect , the bluffing , who knows .

I think you’re right that it’s much less of a taboo today. Poker is more open and inclusive than it used to be. The difference in numbers probably has more to do with interest and risk tolerance rather than ability, because when women do play seriously, many of them perform very well.

I believe that’s more a matter of hobby than of taboo.

The first evidence of the taboo is the enormous disproportion between male and female players. The figures paint a clear picture of a traditionally male-dominated space:

• Low Female Representation: According to a 2022 study, women represented only 4% of participants in elite tournaments such as the World Series of Poker (WSOP). Another analysis in Spain revealed that, in online poker, barely 12% of players are women.

• Economic Obstacles: This gap is not accidental. A 2021 survey by the Women's Poker Association (WPA) indicated that 25% of women do not play poker due to a lack of funds to finance the practice, an obstacle that is rarely mentioned to the same degree for men.

It’s not a matter of sex imo

It has always been a pleasure for me to watch a woman at the poker table, although it sometimes distracts from the game.

It's certainly not taboo, yet the live scene can still seem quite daunting to a lot of people. Many tables are dominated by men, and sadly that "old school" mindset hasn't fully gone away. We should make the game feel more inviting for everyone to help close that gap. ✨

The first evidence of the taboo is the enormous disproportion between male and female players. The figures paint a clear picture of a traditionally male-dominated space:

• Low Female Representation: According to a 2022 study, women represented only 4% of participants in elite tournaments such as the World Series of Poker (WSOP). Another analysis in Spain revealed that, in online poker, barely 12% of players are women.

• Economic Obstacles: This gap is not accidental. A 2021 survey by the Women's Poker Association (WPA) indicated that 25% of women do not play poker due to a lack of funds to finance the practice, an obstacle that is rarely mentioned to the same degree for men.

I believe it's not a taboo, like talking about drugs or religion; on the contrary, it's the lack of promotion of the culture and sport that is poker, but I believe that will change soon. Furthermore, there's a long list of champions, such as:

Barbara Enright (USA) An absolute pioneer, she was the first woman to win a WSOP open event;

Jennifer Harman (USA), one of the most respected outside of high stakes, she won two WSOP bracelets in open events;

Annie Duke (USA) Winner of the Tournament of Champions and with over US$4 million in prizes;

Kristen Foxen (Canada, formerly known as Kristen Bicknell), the current queen of modern women's poker, with 5 WSOP bracelets;

Vanessa Selbst (USA), considered by many to be the best player in history, with almost US$12 million in live tournament winnings and three WSOP bracelets in open events (PLO, Mixed Games and NLHE);

Liv Boeree (United Kingdom), a former model turned professional, won the EPT Sanremo (the largest individual prize for a woman at the time) and has over US$4 million in winnings;

Shiina Okamoto (Japan) Made history in 2024 and 2025 by winning the WSOP Ladies Championship consecutively (two years in a row), something very rare.

Rosana Thorlay — First Brazilian to win a WSOP bracelet (Ladies Online).

Bárbara Akemi — Won the Ladies WSOP Online in another edition.

Other strong contenders in the category: Kathy Liebert, Maria Ho, Victoria Coren Mitchell, Annette Obrestad and many others.

Here in Brazil, it's uncommon, since I hardly ever notice women playing poker, particularly in live games at bars. I would genuinely like to encounter some who share these traits.

A genderless game. As far as I am concerned.

But it can be taboo in many forms not just gender.

Not for me — women perform very well, and if they manage their emotional side, they're awesome.

No — there are lots of outstanding players!

Despite the fact we see more men playing live events, I really think it is not a taboo anymore.It would be nice to see more women playing in those events

The number of men playing is at least 5 times that of women, that's undeniable. But I think there are few women who enjoy playing poker. When I say I play online poker (https://www.casino.us/poker/), I've heard several times, "that game is boring."

Lots of girls play and win, maybe not too many high-stakes players

Poker was historically built in male-dominated environments, with an image of being aggressive, competitive, and even intimidating. But that is only a dominant style, not a rule of the game.

In fact, many of the key poker skills patience, discipline, reading ability, and emotional control,have nothing to do with that stereotype.

ya it kind is but has great female players.

I am feel very excited if there is more women I don’t think that is taboo

Not at all, they are hard to play against.

I think Ladies Events are a wonderful tradition in poker. They create a very welcoming and comfortable atmosphere, especially for beginners who might feel intimidated by the male-dominated fields. However, once the cards are dealt, the math and strategy remain exactly the same.

Just look at Kristen Foxen with almost 20 million in tournament winnings !

I can't talk about any discrimination because I don't see it. It seems that both women and men are on equal terms when it comes to playing poker. If a woman or a man lacks funds, he or she can always become a member of CardsChat and play in our cool freerolls. I think the main thing is desire.

I agree with you a 100%

Because I am a female over 70 and I started playing poker in my 50s.

I became addicted. I was suffering from what they call the empty nest syndrome.

And believe me when I was young, the last thing on my mind was poker.

No time or money to waste on poker.

As a female of my time I put my time and energy on making a living, getting married , and being a mother.

Fashion was a big priority.

Playing poker in long sitting boring tournaments I had zero interest in.

The author of this thread was last seen on March 30, 2026, so I won't waste my precious time replying to a thread where the author doesn't visit CardsChat regularly.

The author of this thread was last seen on March 30, 2026, so I won't waste my precious time replying to a thread where the author doesn't visit CardsChat regularly.

... except you just did😅👍

... except you just did😅

True.🤔🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

I don't think poker itself is a taboo for women. The bigger issue seems to be that poker has historically attracted more men, but that is slowly changing. At the table, skill matters far more than gender..

For me as a man this is not a problem at all, but even a plus. In short, I don’t mind.

What kind a taboo.Taboo is for those who are delusive and presume man and woman are different which is entirely wrong .We must consider someone sd poker player irrespective of their gender