NFL extends partnership wtih National Council on Problem Gambling

As the National Football League season readies to kick off, the NFL has confirmed that it has extended its ongoing partnership with the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG).

The alliance seeks to promote responsible gambling initiatives across the season and raise awareness about gambling-related harm.

NFL and NCPG committed to addressing gambling harm

With most sports bettors now readying to bet at least $50 per bet during the new season, the need to continue addressing the problem of gambling remains high.

To this end, the NFL Foundation is allocating a $6.4m grant to the NCPG to use over the next three years and has pushed up the total amount committed by the organization to $12.6m, following a similar sum extended back in October 2021 - $6.2m.

Commenting on this opportunity, the NFL SVP of Social Responsibility Anna Isaacson said that the league was proud to be leveraging its own resources along with the NCPG to help raise awareness and educate gambling-related harm, giving everyone involved a much better understanding of the pitfalls attendant with the activity.

"We look forward to our continued partnership with NCPG and expanding the reach of their impactful programs," Isaacson said, adding that the partnership underscores the ongoing commitment to support various responsible gambling initiatives.

As to NCPG Executive Director Keith Whyte, he noted that his organization was similarly pleased to be extending this relationship and continue the vital work on gambling harm prevention, education, and awareness.

"This partnership has been instrumental in advancing our mission of minimizing gambling-related harm," Whyte said. Whyte added that his organization will seek to build meaningful and impactful initiatives that help protect consumers from harm and promote a healthy betting and gaming ecosystem.

Building better for the future

The money allocated by the NFL will be used for various initiatives, including improving the National Problem Gambling Helpline (1-800-GAMBLER), the development and implementation of the Agility Program, which focuses specifically on underserved communities insofar gambling prevention is concerned, and further boosting the ResponsiblePlay.org, which seeks to educate fans about the dangers associated with the activity.

The Agility Program has already found several outlets across various institutions in the United States, with Ohio State University launching "Buckeyes Know the Stakes" with the program’s help, along with "The Hispanic Urban Minority Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Outreach Program’s education campaign for Hispanic youth in Cleveland, Ohio, and others.

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