The National Football League (NFL) announced an extended partnership with the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) to bolster problem gambling prevention services nationwide and promote responsible gambling initiatives.
As the sports betting landscape continues to evolve, this renewed commitment addresses the critical need for resources for responsible and problem gambling.
NFL donates more than $6 million to NCPG
This three-year, $6.4 million commitment from the NFL Foundation to NCPG follows the NFL Foundation’s original three-year, $6.2 million contribution made in October 2021, the largest in the nearly 50 years of the entity’s history.
The new grant will enable the continued expansion of NCPG’s core initiatives, ensuring the organization can sustain and build on its significant progress since 2021.
“Our partnership with the NCPG underscores the vital impact of their work and our ongoing commitment to championing and supporting responsible gaming initiatives,” said Anna Isaacson, NFL senior vice president of social responsibility.
“We are proud to leverage our platform and resources with NCPG’s expertise to raise awareness, provide education and help prevent problem gambling. Therefore, we will continue our partnership with NCPG and expand the reach of their impactful programs.”
NFL funding supports important NCPG initiatives like modernizing and strengthening the National Problem Gambling Helpline (1-800-GAMBLER). This is a crucial resource for accessing problem gambling treatment.
This is important to increase helpline efficiency, improve access across the country, and ensure that everyone seeking the service receives high-quality care; as well as developing and implementing the Agility Grants program.
This is the first national grant-making initiative designed to reach underserved communities with problem gambling prevention programs. In this way, awareness efforts – including the Responsible Play website – serve to educate fans and the public about responsible gaming practices.
Results and impact of the NFL partnership to date
So, since the 2021 grant, the National Problem Gambling Helpline has undergone significant modernization. The grant enabled funding for updated technology, increased staffing and enhanced data collection efforts of the 28 contact centers that make up the National Problem Gambling Helpline Network.
Thus, data collection efforts are critical to providing NCPG with insights into contact trends. This has allowed the organization to better advocate for federal funding that supports problem gambling prevention, education and treatment efforts.
The grant also made it possible to license 1-800-GAMBLER across the US. This helps reduce the confusion of multiple state-specific hotlines and ensure routing to state contact centers.
Use of the helpline grew 104% from 2020 to 2023. NCPG attributes this growth primarily to increased promotion and awareness of the helpline.
Agility Grants
Agility Grants fill gaps in problem gambling prevention programming in the United States. They fund projects that reach populations most at risk of developing gambling problems, including:
- elementary, secondary and higher education students
- communities affected by gambling problems
Thus, subsidies focus on programs that minimize harm at a primary level (those who have not yet gambled) and at a secondary level (those who have limited experience with gambling).
To date, the program has provided nearly $1 million in grants for 26 problem gambling prevention efforts in 17 states. These initiatives benefited more than 40,000 people.
Projects supported by the Agility Grant
Funding supported the following projects and organizations:
- Ohio State University’s “Buckeyes Know the Stakes” program. It seeks to educate students through robust gaming problem prevention events and marketing campaigns.
- “Problem Gambling Primary and Secondary Prevention Curriculum Development”. School-based collaborative project incorporating problem gaming prevention curriculum. It is evidence-based across 49 Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) middle schools.
- The Hispanic Urban Minority Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Outreach Program (UMADAOP). Its educational campaign for Hispanic youth in Cleveland, Ohio, to raise awareness about problematic gambling behaviors in middle and high school students.
