NFL Reaffirms Responsible Gaming Commitment With $6.4M Donation

Posted on: August 23, 2024, 12:16h. 

Last updated on: August 23, 2024, 12:16h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

On Thursday, the NFL extended its partnership with the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) with a second multimillion-dollar donation.

NFL National Council on Problem Gambling NCPG
The NFL has extended its funding of the National Council on Problem Gambling with a $6.4 million pledge. The money will be used to strengthen programs designed to minimize problem gambling harms. (Image: Casino.org)

The National Football League is contributing $6.4 million to the country’s only national nonprofit dedicated to minimalizing the economic and social costs associated with gambling addiction. The NCPG does not support or oppose the legalization of gambling activities.

The NCPG says the NFL’s contribution will be used for three strategic initiatives, including funding the continued rollout of the 1-800-GAMBLER National Problem Gambling Helpline. In 2022, the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey agreed to lend the number that it owns to the NCPG for an initial term of six years.

The NCPG has since organized a call center where problem gaming experts field calls and direct those seeking help to their state and local responsible gaming centers and relevant health agencies.

The NCPG says the NFL’s grant will help “enhance the helpline’s efficiency, improve access across the country, and ensure that everyone who reaches out receives high-quality care.” 

NFL Partnership 

Once opposed to allowing people to gamble on its games, the NFL has embraced sports betting since the United States Supreme Court in May 2018 overturned a federal law that had limited single-game wagering to Nevada.

To ensure that its fans keep their betting fun and as a form of entertainment, the NFL in October 2021 announced a $6.2 million award to the NCPG, the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit’s largest in its nearly 50-year history. The NFL this week gave the NCPG another landmark endowment.  

We are profoundly grateful for the NFL’s renewed investment in NCPG, which will enable us to grow the essential prevention, education, and awareness initiatives that were established through their initial grant,” said Keith Whyte, NCPG executive director. “This partnership has been instrumental in advancing our mission of minimizing gambling related harm. We look forward to building on the significant progress we’ve made together over the past three years.”

Along with strengthening the helpline, Whyte says the NFL money will assist in funding the nonprofit’s Agility Grants initiative, a program designed to reach communities underserved by problem gambling resources.

The NFL donation will additionally be used for general awareness campaigns, including ResponsiblePlay.org, a website dedicated to educating fans and the public on responsible gaming practices. Since launching in 2021, the website has reached approximately 750,000 visitors, the NCPG said.

The website provides tips for keeping gambling fun, offers basic facts about problem gambling, and explains where people can get help for problem gambling, whether they are directly or indirectly affected by it.

Most Popular Sport

Football, specifically the NFL, is the most bet on sport in the U.S. It has also delivered oddsmakers the bulk of their revenue as sports betting expanded across the country over the past six years.

A recent study concluded that more than seven in 10 NFL bettors will bet more on games this year. The percentage of bettors who will place “several” bets each week is forecasted to climb from 37% to 43%.

The NFL betting survey also found that 29% of bettors risk between $51 to $100 per game, while 32% bet between $11 and $50. About 21% bet $101 to $499 per game, while only 5% bet $500 or more.