Land-based and online gambling is spreading across the country, but sadly, funding for problem gambling hasn’t kept pace with the increase in betting opportunities. As an affiliate in the legal US online gambling space, BettingUSA.com recognizes our responsibility to advocate for robust responsible gaming policies and adequate funding of problem gambling research and treatment programs.

It is for these reasons that BettingUSA has partnered with the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) to launch the 1% Initiative.

Below you will find a comprehensive list of national and state-level problem gambling resources. Some states provide free or subsidized problem gambling treatment.

See the following state listings (a-z) for more information or call the NCPG Helpline for information and referral options in your state.

The NCPG Helpline is a free, nationwide information and referral resource. It is available 24/7 from anywhere in the US. Calls, texts and chats are tollfree and confidential.

National Problem Gambling Resources

The federal government does not provide funding or support for problem gambling resources in the United States.

Substance abuse and mental health disorders are supported by the federal government through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), but problem gambling is the sole domain of non-governmental organizations at the national level.

At the state level, public funding of problem gambling services has increased year over year since the Association of Problem Gambling Service Administrators (APGSA) began tracking problem gambling services in 2006. According to its 2016 survey, 40 states now provide funding to problem gambling resources.

The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) was formed in 1972 and its stated purpose is “to serve as the national advocate for programs and services to assist people and families affected by problem gambling.”

The NCPG is also involved in education to federal, state, tribal and international governments and agencies. The NCPG takes a neutral stance on gambling legalization; it is neither for nor against legal gambling.

Gamblers Anonymous is a 12-step program for people who wish to stop gambling. In its own words, “Gamblers Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from a gambling problem.”

Gamblers Anonymous hosts meetings across the nation that are free to attend. There are no membership dues, but Gamblers Anonymous does accept voluntary donations.

Gam-Anon is a 12-step program designed for the friends, spouses and loved ones of problem gamblers. Gam-Anon holds meetings across the country and charges no dues or fees.

Gam-Anon describes itself as follows:

“Game-Anon is an anonymous fellowship that offers self-help recovery for anyone whose life has been affected by someone with a gambling problem. In Gam-Anon, family and friends learn effective ways of coping whether or not the gambler seeks help or even recognizes the existence of a gambling problem.”

The International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG) was established in 1996 to support the study of problem gambling and to search for the most effective treatments for problem gambling.

As the ICRG explains, its “mission is to help individuals and families affected by gambling disorder by supporting the finest peer-reviewed, scientific research into gambling disorder; encouraging the application of new research findings and to improve prevention, diagnostic, intervention, and treatment strategies; and advancing public education about gambling disorder and responsible gaming.”

The Association of Problem Gambling Service Administrators (APGSA) is a national membership organization of state administrators of public funds for problem gambling services. Established in 2000, the APGSA seeks to support the development of problem gambling services.

The APGSA conducts the only national survey of problem gambling services in the US regarding types of services offered in each state, funding information, state contacts and more. The information published as a result of the survey is the most comprehensive single resource for information on problem gambling services in the United States.

Website: GamTalk.org

GamTalk is an online support resource for those with gambling problems. GamTalk users share their recovery stories, share advice with one another, provide links to gambling treatment resources and more.

GamTalk also hosts a 24/7 chat room along with scheduled, moderated chats. The website is free to use and is funded by donations and sponsorship agreements.

Gambling Therapy is an international online problem gambling website with live chat, e-mail support and active discussion forums.

State Problem Gambling Resources

Gamblers and their loved ones have access to multiple local program gambling resources in most states.

Alaska lacks a dedicated state-level problem gambling service and the state provides no funding for such services. The Gamblers Anonymous website lists a single meeting location in Anchorage.

Gamblers may also take advantage of self-help resources and community discussions at GamTalk.org and GamblingTherapy.org.

The Alaska Department of Health and Human Services may also be able to point gamblers to helpful resources, but it does not have a unit dedicated specifically to problem gambling.

Arkansas lacks a dedicated problem gambling service and does not provide funding to problem gambling services.

Those who need help may still contact the National Council on Problem Gambling, Gamblers Anonymous or consider self-help resources such as GamTalk.org and GamblingTherapy.org.

The Arkansas legislature cut funding for problem gambling services in 2015 through a bill introduced by Senator Alan Clark.

He justified the bill by saying he found “a very strong consensus that the money wasn’t accomplishing much” and would be better put to use funding college scholarships.

Hawaii is a traditionally anti-gambling state and as such, the state has set aside no funds for problem gambling resources. Gamblers Anonymous hosts a handful of meetings every week across Hawaii.

Problem gamblers may contact the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), Gamblers Anonymous, Gam-Anon.org and GamTalk.org for help, resources and community discussion.

  • Call the Idaho CareLine at 211 for community health information and referral services
  • Resources in Idaho

Idaho suffers a dearth of problem gambling resources. The state does not provide funding for problem gambling services and the lottery does not appear to offer a self-exclusion program.

However, Gamblers Anonymous does host meetings across the state. Gamblers may also visit Gam-Anon.org and GamTalk.org for self-help services and community discussion.

  • TN Dept of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services, Problem Gambling Programs
  • TN Dept of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services Helpline: 800-560-5767 or 615-532-6700
  • 24/7 Statewide Crisis Hotline: 855-274-7471
  • Tennessee REDLINE for Substance Abuse and Problem Gambling
  • REDLINE Helpline: 1-800-889-9789
  • University of Memphis Gambling Clinic
  • Gambling Clinic Helpline: 901-678-STOP
  • Resources in Tennessee

Texas does not provide funding for problem gambling services and there are few local resources dedicated to problem gambling. The TX Department of Health & Human Services provides various behavioral and mental health services, including counseling.

Residents may also seek help from the National Council on Problem Gambling (1-800-522-4700), and local Gamblers Anonymous Chapters or participate in community discussions at GamTalk.org and GamblingTherapy.org.

Utah does not provide funding for problem gambling services, and there are no state-level organizations dedicated to problem gambling. However, Gamblers Anonymous hosts meetings in Utah, and gamblers may visit GamTalk.org and GamblingTherapy.org for online self-help services. Gamblers may also call the National Council on Problem Gambling at 1-800-522-4700 for anonymous 24/7 help.

Is The Sports Betting Industry Doing Enough To Address Responsible Gambling Concerns?

Ever since the Supreme Court scrapped the federal ban on sports betting in May 2018, state after state has changed its laws to enter the legal US sports betting industry.

The American Gaming Association’s Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker shows that US sports betting handle hit $42.19 billion from January through to October in 2021 – double the amount wagered during the same time in 2020.

But industry analysts believe that the US sports betting industry is still in its infancy, compared to what we can expect to see in coming years.

Some Of The Largest US Sports Betting Markets Have A Bright Future

The expected upswing in the market will come from the fact that some of the US’s most populous states, such as Ohio and New York, have joined the fray (one launched and one expected to launch). And fingers are crossed for North Carolina, Massachusetts, and possibly Florida joining the mix in 2022.

The executive VP and chief strategy and growth officer of the National Football League, Christopher Halpin, told the Washington Post, “There’s been a huge growth, but those states are major swings in how big the legal US market will be.”

However, the exponential growth rate has triggered concerns among responsible gambling advocates who fear that a proper safety net is not in place, especially with the state-by-state nature of gambling laws in the United States.

They are also seeing troubling signs of increased gambling addiction.

Leagues Are Learning From Mistakes

Sports leagues have vowed to protect the integrity of their games ever since it became clear that they couldn’t fight the tide of sports betting legalization.

On the one hand, they wanted to reach potential gamblers by tapping into the popularity of their brand. Still, on the other, they didn’t want to offend fans who have no interest in wagering or open the door to the integrity of the game debates.

When the landmark US ruling was issued in 2018, more mature global markets were already backtracking on earlier decisions. In the UK, for example, sportsbook advertising during matches has been severely limited, and soccer teams may no longer be allowed to display gambling logos on their uniforms soon.

While sports gambling commercials are staples during sports programs in the United States, major sports leagues are beginning to limit the number of ads allowed during a game broadcast. Take the NFL, which allows one commercial pre-game, one per quarter, and another one at half-time.

Addressing League Concerns About Sports Betting

Problem gambling professionals are becoming increasingly concerned about the number of new bettors in the US since the market was opened. They are not convinced that enough is being done to combat gambling addiction.

Resources and regulations vary from state to state. Some allocate a modest portion of their budget to treatment programs and hotlines, while others don’t give a penny. BettingUSA updates a state-by-state list of gambling resources available to bettors.

Sports leagues would feel a lot better if the vacuum left by the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act could be filled by a federal law providing a national framework governing sports betting in the US. However, nothing has progressed in that path for some time. For the moment, leagues will have to be content with their efforts and those made by states and gambling operators (some of which have powerful responsible gambling campaigns across all their channels).

What’s Been Done To Support Problem Gambling In The USA?

  • NFL Funds National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG): In October last year, the National Football League announced that it was making a multimillion-dollar, multi-year commitment to expand its long-standing partnership with the NCPG, essentially doubling the organization’s annual budget. In this piece, Steve Ruddock of BettingUSA.com asks whether other leagues and gambling companies will follow the NFL’s lead and boost their support of problem gambling organizations.
  • PlayPause by GeoComply: In September 2020, the newly-established non-profit organization, Conscious Gaming (GeoComply), launched PlayPause, “an innovative tool designed to modernize and strengthen the effectiveness of the iGaming and online sports betting industry’s responsible gaming programs.” Some of its partners include BetMGM, Golden Nugget, and Entain.

Mitigating Problem Gambling Starts With Research

One of the more challenging aspects of implementing responsible gambling protocols and combatting problem gambling is a lack of data.

Truths on the responsible and problem gambling front are few and far between. Instead, proponents must rely on theories, anecdotes, and extrapolation of what little data exists – none of which is neat and clean. There’s a lot of noise in gambling data, from the type of gambling to how it manifests to correctly identifying it.

There’s no quick fix for any of this. What’s needed is more research, and more focused research, because when it comes to combatting problem gambling, what’s good for the goose isn’t necessarily good for the gander.

The Gambling Industry Needs More Metadata

With so little research to use, the industry is all too often reliant on a single (typically small and underfunded) study and the potential noise that goes with such data.

And this is the current issue with problem gambling data. What we need is metadata.

Estimates of problem gambling rates range from 1% to 5%, which seems like a small gap until you realize the low end says it’s a 1-in-100 problem, and the high end is saying it’s a 1-in-20 problem. That’s a pretty substantial difference.

Further complicating matters, there isn’t even a clear line of demarcation when it comes to what constitutes problem gambling. It’s not as straightforward as determining the median height of a population or the average home price in a specific area.

And yet another issue is people struggling with sports betting are lumped in with people who struggle with lottery or slots or horse racing or poker. This would be like lumping one-on-one disputes where a steak knife is plucked from a butcher’s block with attacks involving multiple machete-wielding assailants.

But perhaps most importantly to this discussion, the solution is not the same. We don’t know what works and what doesn’t when it comes to heading off problem gambling, nor do we have a perfect understanding of how to treat it at its various stages, although effective treatment is a bit further along.

For example, does the same messaging and preventative measures resonate with a 22-year-old poker player living at college and a 68-year-old widower who fancies slots? Does gambling addiction manifest the same in a 45-year-old married father of three with a well-paying job that likes to bet on craps in the high-roller room and a 19-year-old living at home who gambles online?

The only real solution to this is more research. More focused research, larger samples, better data from online operators, and funding.

Further Reading: