New Jersey judge orders NCPG to return 1-800-GAMBLER hotline

A New Jersey judge has ruled that control of the 1-800-GAMBLER problem gambling hotline must return to the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ), ending the National Council on Problem Gambling’s (NCPG) three-year stewardship of the number.

The ruling requires NCPG to stop using the number by September 29, 2025. The group had operated the hotline nationally under a $150,000-a-year license from the CCGNJ, which expired in May. The two sides have been locked in a dispute over renewal terms since early this year, when CCGNJ proposed a one-year extension that NCPG declined.

“The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) is dismayed with today’s court ruling, which orders NCPG to cease management and use of 1-800-GAMBLER as the National Problem Gambling Helpline number after September 29, 2025,” the organization said in a statement. “This decision will fundamentally hinder nationwide access to timely, confidential, and high-quality care for those in need of problem gambling support by taking critical services offline.” 

NCPG said it would appeal and is filing an emergency motion asking the New Jersey Appellate Division to maintain the status quo while the case is considered. “It cannot be overstated that the loss of access to problem gambling resources via 1-800-GAMBLER, even temporarily, could have life or death consequences for individuals in crisis,” the group added.

James Tarnofsky, a lawyer representing NCPG, said the transition was not straightforward. “The entire network is under the domain of the NCPG — the texting, the chatting, in 49 states and territories. It’s not really ‘Just flip a switch and it goes to CCGNJ.’ The network will fall apart for a period of time. People will be without the services,” he said.

Under NCPG management, the hotline aimed to provide 24/7 live human response and immediate connection to local resources. “Expanding access means little if the care on the other end isn’t effective, safe, and person-centered,” NCPG communications director Cait Huble said in August to Casino Reports.

CCGNJ, which first launched the helpline in 1983, said it intends to continue operating the number. “[The helpline] is not going away, ever,” Executive Director Luis Del Orbe said last month to SBC Americas.