New Jersey Council Rejects Arbitration Request Over 1-800-GAMBLER

The Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ), owner of the 1-800-GAMBLER national hotline for problem gambling, has rejected the National Council on Problem Gambling’s (NCPG) attempts to go to arbitration over control of the number.

The NCPG has operated the number nationally for the past three years under a license from the CCGNJ, paying $150,000 annually. The license expired in May, and the two organizations have been in a legal dispute over renewal of the license.

According to the contract, in cases of dispute, the two parties should seek mediation, and if mediation fails, they can go to arbitration. The NCPG requested mediation July 9, which the CCGNJ denied, and the NCPG filed the legal complaint the same week.

The New Jersey Superior Court in Mercer County granted a restraining order to the NCPG to keep the status quo of the hotline until the case was settled in arbitration — which was scheduled for Sept. 3.

The NCPG filed a request for arbitration to the American Arbitration Association (AAA) last Wednesday. The CCGNJ rejected it the next day, claiming the request was invalid since the contract with the NCPG had technically expired.

“The demand for arbitration filed by NCPG with the American Arbitration Association is not a valid request. The manner in which arbitration may be requested is specified in the language of the expired license agreement. Therefore, CCGNJ shall not accept this request,” CCGNJ Executive Director Luis Del Orbe told SBC Americas.

The NCPG says the two organizations already have an agreement, and the CCGNJ is refusing to honor it.

Cause for concern without NCPG?

The New Jersey council plans to continue to operate the number nationally without the NCPG’s involvement. However, there is concern from the NCPG that changing the operation of the hotline would change the standards of services.

“Expanding access means little if the care on the other end isn’t effective, safe, and person-centered. NCPG remains committed to preserving the integrity of the helpline and will not support or accept any proposal that compromises the quality of care provided to those seeking help,” NCPG Director of Communications Cait Huble said.

The NCPG first leased the number with the stated intention of ensuring a quality helpline that reaches the entire country. Industry experts saw the need for one easy-to-remember number for people to call in times of crisis. The organization works to make sure every call is answered by a real person, not a chat bot. When a person calls, they are directed to local resources for problem gambling in their state. The number also serves loved ones of gamblers looking for help.

The organization worked for years to nationalize the hotline, and it’s now a number millions of Americans know and use. The NCPG routes each call to the line to a local call center and provides backup contacts in case there are no local centers available. It also provides quality control checks and translation for non-English speakers.

“As stewards of the National Problem Gambling Helpline, NCPG has a legal and ethical obligation to ensure that care is not only accessible, but also high-quality, consistent, and appropriate,” Huble said. “NCPG works closely with the helpline network contact centers to ensure that they meet established standards for training, technology, supervision, and referral practices.”

Del Orbe is confident that the CCGNJ will be able to run the hotline with the same success, he told SBC Americas. “CCGNJ and the 1-800-GAMBLER has passed the test of time. The 1-800-GAMBLER helpline is not going to go away, ever.”