Casinos.com Interviews Rebecca Jackson of Betting Jobs

• Name: Rebecca Jackson 
• Role: Operations and Administrative Co-Ordinator 
• Company: BettingJobs 

In an interviews for Casinos.com, UK Newswriter Alan Evans speaks to Rebecca Jackson of BettingJobs about the gender gap in the gambling industry.  

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Rebecca Jackson was working at a call centre before applying for a job with the company, where she says she has never been happier. Rebecca attended university, where she played women’s rugby. This was at a time when there were very few women in the sport. 

Rebecca’s work involves placing clients within the industry Worldwide. She has supplied a great set of statistics identifying which areas the males and females were placed in from January 2023 until this year. They show the gender gap closing in some areas and widening in others. 

Alan began by asking Rebecca about these stats and their significance.  

AE: You provided some very interesting statistics on clients you place worldwide in the gambling industry. I could see that in several areas there are signs that females are increasing the percentage of representation. There are, however, a vast majority of areas where it is still male dominated. Is the demand for placement for females increasing or are there niche areas where there is a preference? 

RJ: There are areas where it is still male dominated like the tech jobs.  It has been a male orientated field. It is waiting for women to filter through and for women to complete training and gain their qualifications. We are placing more women in tech jobs. Previously, you would see more women in areas like marketing. 

AE: Was it difficult for you to get into the gambling industry as a woman?  

RJ: Before I started, I knew nothing of the gambling industry. I had lost my job and during COVID, I went to a contact centre to keep myself afloat. I saw the job in admin at Betting Jobs and started in 2022. I would say that it was quite easy for me to get in at entry level. 

AE: Research suggests that there is disparity when it comes to gender in the industry and that disparity takes many shapes and forms. Which area would you consider to be changing the quickest for females and which area would you consider to be a tough nut to crack? 

RJ: I think that females are generally doing better in the entry level area of the industry. I think it is tougher for women to get a role in senior management. It is probably a similar picture within other industries. Things are starting to improve for women in the gambling industry. I hope improvements and opportunities for women are happening in other industries too.   

AE: What advice would you offer any female wanting to get involved in the gambling/gaming industry? 

RJ: I would say go for it, persevere with rejections, and believe what is for you won’t go by you. Be positive and keep going.  

AE: How important a part does education play in levelling the playing field and are schools and colleges doing enough to ensure females are equipped with the same skills as their male counterparts in order to compete in the workplace?  

RJ: I think nowadays schools’ colleges and Universities are doing more than they used to. It has been 12 years since I started University, but I have family and friends who say they are getting the same opportunities as their male counterparts. It is filtering down to the workplace. Hopefully, we will get to the point where there is no gender pay gap and we are all equal. 

AE: Senior and managerial/executive roles have historically been dominated by men. What impact does the appointment of women to those senior positions have within the sector? Is it more likely to challenge and reshape the company towards a more diverse and equal workplace? 

RJ: I think if there were more females in high level roles, it would challenge dynamics. Nowadays, you can’t discriminate; it is completely wrong. I am looking forward to the day when women can do everything men can do within the gambling and sports industries. It is so great to see women in football and rugby. I want it to be a level playing field. 

AE: Are there areas where the changes in the gender gap are slower to take place? 

RJ: In CEO, management, and high-level positions, you see people who stay a long time. They only leave if the company is bought out, but we are seeing a lot more female CEOs. Here at Betting Jobs, we have a great CEO in Jennifer Innes who is so passionate about equality. 

AE: We have seen research that indicates that attitudes are also changing and that females are beginning to make their mark in the gaming industry, from creating games to running companies. What does the younger female generation have to look forward to regarding changes in the workplace? 

RJ: We are seeing more females coming into the industry at entry level and I am seeing more females in my role at Betting Jobs, where I place so many people within the workplace. In some countries, there might still be a preference for males over females. We are waiting for those countries to catch up. 

AE: What would you say to your daughter if you had one?  

RJ: I would tell her she can do anything she wants to do. I grew up playing rugby; no other girls played; it was all boys. University would be all empowering for my daughter or anyone else’s children. They should believe they can do what they want, get into anything they want. I enjoy motorsport and I am enjoying seeing progress for women there.  

AE: Have you experienced misogynistic behaviour in the workplace?   

RJ: Thankfully, we do not get misogynistic behaviour in our workplace. It gets under my skin when it comes to sexism, but you must bear in mind there are people like that, and it will not change all at once. It will happen step by step,  little by little, with breakthroughs for women entering senior management. 

This will influence change. We may have to wait a couple of years, but it will happen. We are all good friends within our workplace, regardless of gender. We are a mixed age group of people in their early 20s to mid-thirties. It is all good fun and I have never heard anything that would make me wince.  

AE: Was there a catalyst for change in your life and work?  

RJ: My mother was a great influence, I grew up seeing a strong figure. She started in NHS straight out of school, with no opportunity to go to university. She became a nurse and worked her way up to ward sister. I am so proud of her and today she is co-director of a trust she works for. 

That experience of being brought up by a powerful woman doing that and then coming into this industry and seeing Jennifer and the strong woman she is. It is all about believing in yourself and believing you can get there. 

AE: What advice would you give to other women in industry who might have self-doubt and feel like there is no future because of inequality?  

RJ: I believe equality should be instilled in children from a young age—not just girls but boys too. I believe that what you put your mind to can be achieved if you work hard at it.

I spent two and a half years sitting in call centre with not much room for any development or career progression. Getting this job and working for Betting Jobs for the last two years has been the best working experience of my life. The workplace is inclusive and equality aware. It is a great place to work.