The National Football League (NFL) announced a long-term partnership with the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), which includes a three-year commitment where the NFL Foundation will provide $6.4 million in funding. The league stated that this agreement will "strengthen national problem gambling prevention services and promote responsible gambling initiatives."
The $6.4 million pledged by the NFL Foundation to the NCPG is an increase from the initial three-year $6.2 million funding granted by the NFL in October 2021, marking the largest grant in NCPG's nearly 50-year history.
The NFL's funding supports three key initiatives of the NCPG, including modernizing and enhancing the national problem gambling helpline (1-800-GAMBLER), developing and implementing agile funding programs, and promotional campaigns including the ResponsiblePlay.org website.
Anna Isaacson, Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility at the NFL, stated: "Our partnership with the NCPG highlights the significant impact of their work and our ongoing commitment to advocate and support responsible gambling programs. We are proud to leverage our platform and resources along with NCPG's expertise to raise awareness, provide education, and help prevent gambling problems. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with NCPG and expanding the impact of their influential programs."
Keith Whyte, Executive Director of NCPG, added: "We are very grateful for the NFL's renewed investment in NCPG, which will enable us to develop the foundational prevention, education, and awareness programs established through its initial funding. This partnership is crucial for advancing our mission to minimize gambling-related harms as much as possible. We anticipate building on the significant progress made over the past three years and exploring new ways to make an impact."
In July, NCPG established a Tribal Advisory Committee to address gambling-related issues in Native American communities. The committee will work with Valerie Spicer and Sheila Morago of the Trilogy Group.
The nonprofit organization stated that the formation of this committee represents "a deeper level of cooperation aimed at addressing responsible gambling and problem gambling issues critical to Native American communities."
