Suzanne's PhD research focuses on women and the impact of online gambling. The theoretical framework adopted is that of the emerging Deviant Leisure perspective. Suzanne also looks at the marketing techniques used by the gambling industry, particularly TV advertising, and how they are directed specifically towards women.

Introduction

When I was in my mid-30s, and my twin boys were five years old, I started studying for a master's in criminology with a vague intention to move on to a PhD afterwards. I was new to the social sciences (my previous qualifications were in Philosophy and Law), but I found the sheer breadth of the discipline fascinating, with my optional modules including policing, white-collar crime, and leisure, consumerism and harm. This last module introduced me to the idea of gambling as a criminological topic, as two of my lecturers had recently written an article on the harms of lifestyle gambling as a male leisure activity. The article was excellent, but I felt that it wasn't reflective of my own personal experience as an occasional female gambler. On further investigation, it seemed that women's gambling was generally under-researched, and that was an opportunity that aligned with my own interests; so, the following year I started my PhD in criminology, focusing on the gambling industry and its impact on female gamblers. I studied part time, and for the duration of my studies (over six years), I was a lone parent, having divorced a few years previously.