National council, NCPG, can no longer run gambling addiction hotline

The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), the national organization, no longer has control of the 1-800-GAMBLER gambling addiction hotline, as a New Jersey organization will now operate it.

This comes after a legal battle has ensued, with New Jersey Superior Court Judge Douglas H. Hurd having ordered the NCPG to ‘cease and desist’ from continuing to use the hotline and the 1-800-GAMBLER trademark.

The judge also ordered the national organization not to interfere with the new operation of the hotline number.

On Monday, the New Jersey Supreme Court rejected an appeal from the NCPG, with the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey to be the ones to run the number.

At the time of the initial decision, the NCPG released a statement to say it is ‘dismayed’ with the court ruling and stated the 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.’

NCPG’s appeal was rejected, with the gambling addiction hotline now out of its hands

It was then, on September 22, that it announced it would be aggressively pursuing all appellate options and said it was 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.

In one of their arguments against the decision, the organization said that national demand will outpace state-level capacity. “Call traffic to 1-800-GAMBLER has surged by 150.71% since 2018, highlighting explosive growth in demand for nationwide problem gambling support,” the statement reads.

“With sole authority over routing, CCGNJ could change or disconnect 1-800-GAMBLER calls at will, leading to unpredictable disruptions in access to care,” they continued.

Now, the appeal has been rejected, the NCPG has released another statement to share their thoughts: “The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) acknowledges the New Jersey Supreme Court decision denying an emergency stay regarding the use and management of 1-800-GAMBLER as the National Problem Gambling Helpline number.

“We are deeply disappointed as this outcome will alter the current operations of the Helpline and will have a negative impact on access to problem gambling resources. NCPG remains committed to working with all stakeholders to minimize disruptions and ensure continued support for individuals and families in need.”

Now, the NCPG will operate the National Problem Gambling Helpline using a former number until a permanent solution can be found.

Featured Image: AI-generated via Ideogram

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