The New Jersey Superior Court ruled the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) must stop using the 1-800-GAMBLER helpline by Sept. 29, according to Barron's. Control of the problem gambling helpline will revert to its owner, the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ).
Key Takeaways
- Monday’s court ruling grants CCGNJ sole ownership of 1-800-GAMBLER starting Sept. 29.
- The CCGNJ will restore access to New Mexico and Florida and promises “no lapses” in the transfer of control.
- The NCPG will appeal the court’s decision.
On the face of it, this is a straightforward contract ruling. One party leased the property of another party. When the lease ended, the parties couldn’t agree on terms to extend the lease. So, the property reverted to the owner. But the case of the 1-800-GAMBLER is more complex and involves what is now considered a national problem gambling resource.
The 1-800-GAMBLER helpline is prevalent, visible on almost every gambling ad and gambling-related website throughout the United States. So, the gambling industry has a stake in the helpline’s operation.
In a social media post issued Tuesday, FanDuel stated, “1-800-GAMBLER is an essential resource for Americans seeking help for problem gambling. As the legal, regulated gaming industry continues to expand nationwide, this helpline has become a critical, unifying resource that ensures Americans can access help wherever they live.”
The post continued, “We strongly support a joint resolution between the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) and the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ) to ensure there is no disruption to the hotline that would leave those seeking support vulnerable in their time of need.”
Background
Unlike many U.S. jurisdictions, New Jersey has a long history with legalized gambling. As such, the Garden State has a longer history than most when dealing with problem gambling. To address this issue, the CCGNJ launched the 1-800-GAMBLER helpline in 1983.
CCGNJ owned and operated the helpline until 2022 when it licensed the helpline to the NCPG. The three-year lease expired in May 2025. Since then, the two sides have been unable to reach an agreement to extend the lease.
The rift between the national organization and its New Jersey affiliate - and other state affiliates - has been brewing for the better part of the year. The NCPG introduced new standards that some jurisdictions couldn’t, or wouldn’t, meet. As a result, the NCPG rerouted Florida and New Mexico calls away from their community resources.
New Jersey Superior Court Judge Douglas H. Hurd told Barron’s after Monday’s hearing, “We should not be disconnecting states. It’s against what the number stands for.”
During negotiations between the organizations, the CCGNJ offered the NCPG a one-year license extension. The NCPG rejected that proposal.
The NCPG argued that in the past three years, it has invested heavily in the helpline, introducing new text and chat features. James Tarnofsky, lawyer for the NCPG, argued that these new features would make it difficult to transfer.
"The entire network is under the domain of National - the texting, the chatting, in 49 states and territories," Tarnofsky said. "It’s not really, 'Just flip a switch, and it goes to the CCGNJ.' The network will fall apart for a period of time."
Luis Del Orbe, CCGNJ’s executive director, promised that the New Jersey Council would immediately pick up the contracts to facilitate the transfer. He said, “There will be no lapse.”
Last month, Del Orbe stated, “CCGNJ and the 1-800-GAMBLER has passed the test of time. The 1-800-GAMBLER helpline is not going to go away ever.
The NCPG plans to appeal the court’s decision.
