NCPG Loses Control of 1-800-GAMBLER Hotline

• The National Council on Problem Gambling is losing control of the program gambling hotline
• A New Jersey judge this week determined the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey has the sole right to the gambling hotline
• The National Council on Problem Gambling must cease management of the hotline by Monday, Sept. 29

A New Jersey judge determined this week that the National Council on Problem Gambling must cease management use of 1-800-GAMBLER as the National Problem Gambling Helpline number after Monday, Sept. 29.

Judge Douglas H. Hurd determined that control of the number must go back to the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ). The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) leased the number for the last three years.

The NCPG has operated the number for the last three years — paying $150,000 annually to the CCGNJ to do so — but its license expired on May 31.

NCPG Bemoans Decisions

The two organizations have been vying for control over the number after the NCPG’s license to operate the problem gaming resource expired. The dispute between the two groups began earlier this year when the CCGNJ proposed a one-year extension to their agreement, which the NCPG denied.

The NCPG then filed a lawsuit in July after it requested mediation with the CCGNJ in the same month, which was denied by the New Jersey affiliate. The NCPG requested, and was awarded, a temporary restraining order to continue running the hotline while the New Jersey courts considered the lawsuit.

The CCGNJ operated the hotline from 1983 to 2022 after founding the program. It then leased the hotline to NCPG for three years.

NCPG released a statement after the decision, noting it’s the only national organization qualified to run the helpline.

“NCPG is the only national organization qualified, equipped, and positioned to manage the National Problem Gambling Helpline. With the backing of long-term partners like the National Football League, and a dedication to mitigating gambling-related harm, NCPG is committed to sustaining this vital public health service and ensuring that the National Problem Gambling Helpline remains strong, trusted, and effective nationwide.”

According to the NCPG, the CCGNJ lacks the infrastructure and funding required to operate the helpline. The NCPG dedicated more than $1.4 million a year to operate the helpline, which is nearly half of CCGNJ’s total annual revenue.

The NCPG revealed it will pursue all appellate options concerning the decision.

“This decision will fundamentally hinder nationwide access to timely, confidential, and high-quality care for those in need of problem gambling support by taking critical services offline. Moreover, it will degrade public trust for the 121 million Americans who recognize 1-800-GAMBLER as the National Problem Gambling Helpline.”

Tough Transition Ahead

According to a report from Barrons, the transition will not be so easy from the national group to the New Jersey affiliate. The NCPG organizes and maintains the services of the national hotline for 49 states, which includes all texting and phone calls from people looking for help.

The transition, according to a lawyer for the NCPG, will require the hotline be out of service for a period of time.

“CCGNJ will be solely responsible for managing a complex network of contact centers and administrators, hundreds of helpline staff, and dozens of independent regulatory bodies, without the infrastructure, recognition, or experience of a national service organization,” the NCPG noted in a statement.