The future of the United States’ National gambling helpline is ‘unclear’ following the reports of a legal battle which could change everything.

Currently, 1-800-GAMBLER, the US national helpline, is embroiled in a legal battle due to a contract dispute between the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) and the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ).

While the NCPG does run it across the country, New Jersey technically owns the number and are refusing to play ball when it comes to their renewal negotiations. 

Speaking on SBC’s iGaming Daily Podcast, Jessica Welman has expressed her concerns about the wider landscape for problem gamblers if the two organisations cannot agree on a positive way to move forward. 

“There’s been so much money poured into this as a resource to help people and we should remember that this is ultimately to help people who feel like they’ve come into a problem with their gambling and they think that they’re getting into a hole that they can’t quite get out of.

“And the thing that makes it confusing, upsetting is that the NCPG and the CCGNJ, surely they want the same goal. They want to reduce problem gambling rates, whether that’s in New Jersey or nationally. 

“I’m sure the New Jersey body want problem gambling rates to decrease, not just in New Jersey, but across the country.”

She added that the situation is ‘upsetting’ and ‘unclear’ and co-host Charlie Horner, agreed on the growing concerns resonating from the news.

Welman said: “I never ever thought that something like this would end up in court because you would think that this is quite amicable, they’re doing it for the good of the players, but seemingly not. I think the weirdest part of this whole thing for me is it’s very unclear what New Jersey wants.

“So the fact that we are creating obstructions to offline people, to the people that they need to talk to just makes me very stressed.”

Whilst Horner responded: “I think it’s upsetting, it’s complicating a process that doesn’t need to be so complicated. Do players want to remember their specific regional number or do they just want the one that’s just in the mind of everyone because it’s been publicized so heavily over the last couple of years? 

“Do operators want to put 37 different phone numbers in their adverts? It just complicates everything for everyone. And I just think this needs to be settled one way or another.”

If no solution is found, then 1-800-GAMBLER will not run nationally after next month, potentially leaving millions with no free, quick support to manage any gambling issues. The hope is that this vital helpline will be saved following their court meeting in late-August.