NCPG goes nationwide to tackle addiction in US

Much of the way problem gambling measures are enacted in the United States is a scrum of wishful thinking practices that seldom work without a sturdy regulatory framework to enforce them. Some initiatives, though, such as the National Council on Problem Gambling, seem far more likely to succeed in the long run than others.

Called the NCPG for short the organization has negotiated an ambitious partnership with the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey or CCGNJ, which will enable it to use the 1-800-GAMBLER number as a federally-recognized helpline which will be available nationally and help a large number of people who have been suffering in silence to overcome their addiction problems.

Or so hoping goes. In the next six years, the NCPG will use the 1-800-GAMBLER support line in all states across the country, outside of New Jersey that is, including the District of Columbia and recognized territories.

The existing number will continue working while the NCPG and CCGNJ pool their efforts together to ensure individual launches in states without any blackouts in the provision of helpful gambling services. NCPG board president Maureen Greeley is confident that this move constitutes an important step forward for tackling problem gambling, which has admittedly lost some traction as the nation has been pushing towards more aggressive customer acquisition.

By going national, NCPG can help more people by increasing awareness of the problem, but more importantly – ensuring that people know that there is help available. The NCPG will focus on using its resources smartly and offering individuals the best programs and services that can directly have a positive impact on player well-being.

CCGNJ executive Felicia Grondin confirmed that the organization will work closely with NCPG to ensure that individuals across the nation have access to crucial tools for helping them overcome their problem gambling habits.

NCPG is also getting help from other stakeholders, with the National Football League donating directly to the organization through its Foundation, the NFLF. NCPG is also working on a modernization project that will enable it to leverage data, use better call center technology, and generally service problem gamblers better in helping them with assistance with overcoming their issue.

NCPG started as an inscrutable organization back in 1995, but it has been able to gradually build up its offer and proposition. Much of that is unfortunate because of the increase in problem gamblers and people seeking out help. More messages, calls, and emails beseeching help continue to arrive warn Keith Whyte, the director at NCPG, with their numbers growing steadily since the organization began recording them.

The multi-pronged approach by the NCPG now sought in ensuring that more help is dispatched nationally is commendable as it will hopefully be effective.

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