Problem Gambling Nonprofits Fight Over 1-800-GAMBLER Hotline
This week in New Jersey, a dispute between two groups that deal with compulsive gambling over who should run the 1-800-GAMBLER hotline reached a breaking point.
The nation's top advocacy group for gambling addiction, the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), was ordered by a state court on Monday to restore the service to the smaller state charity that established and owns the hotline, the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ).
The NCPG has until September 29 to give CCGNJ back operational control and stop utilizing the 1-800-GAMBLER number and trademark. This does not imply that employees of the New Jersey organization would personally respond to every call made across the country. Rather, local in-state providers are contacted by the helpline.
"Dangerous Repercussions"
The decision puts an end to the months-long legal dispute between the opposing advocacy groups regarding the handy hotline number. This Wednesday, the NCPG issued a warning that it would take time to switch the number back to CCGNJ, depriving vulnerable individuals of the service and perhaps having life-or-death repercussions.
"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.”
Shortly after its founding in 1983, the CCGNJ established the hotline. However, in 2022, the NCPG was granted a license to run the line for three years at a stated annual cost of $150,000.
The NFL provided financing for the NCPG to make major enhancements to the hotline at that time, including the introduction of text and online chat capabilities, the expansion of free translation in more than 240 languages, and training upgrades throughout a network of 29 contact centers.
When the parties couldn't agree on a renewal, the agreement, which had ended in May 2025, became a source of conflict.
NCPG Retaliating
The NCPG contends that the routing network, which includes elements like text and chat services, is highly interwoven and cannot be "flipped" back, despite the CCGNJ's assurance that there won't be any service interruptions. It said in a formal statement that it would file an appeal of the decision.
"NCPG will aggressively pursue all appellate options concerning today’s decision and is in the process of filing an emergency motion asking the New Jersey Appellate Division to enter a stay to maintain the status quo for helpline operations while the appeal is considered,” the statement read.
“It cannot be overstated that the loss of access to problem gambling resources via 1-800-GAMBLER, even temporarily, could have life or death consequences for individuals in crisis,” it added.
