Three years after its first $6.1 million donation to the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), the NFL is committing an even bigger donation to the group.
NCPG will use funds for Agility Grants, 1-800-GAMBLER
The NFL is donating an additional $6.4 million to the organization. The funds will help to continue the NCPG Agility Grant program, which gives money to help support education and research in underserved communities when it comes to problem gambling. Universities such as Towson and Ohio State have been recipients of Agility Grants, as has The Hispanic Urban Minority Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Outreach Program in Cleveland, OH.
Some of the funds will also go to “modernizing and strengthening” the 1-800-GAMBLER helpline.
“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 NCPG Executive Director Keith Whyte. “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 and exploring new avenues for impact.”
“Our partnership with NCPG underscores the vital impact of their work and our ongoing commitment to advocate for and support responsible gambling initiatives,” added NFL Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility Anna Isaacson. “We are proud to leverage our platform and resources with NCPG’s expertise to raise awareness, provide education and help prevent problem gambling. We look forward to our continued partnership with NCPG and expanding the reach of their impactful programs.”
The 2021 donation was, at the time, the largest single donation NCPG had received. With this new pledge, NFL has one-upped itself and set a new record.
NFL announces new education, integrity, and harassment initiatives
The announcement coincides with a release from the NFL highlighting its efforts to educate players about sports betting, integrity and responsible gambling. Players are now required to take part in in-person training conducted by former players like Delanie Walker and Will Shields.
Additionally, the league is investing more effort and resources into monitoring both the integrity of the game and potential instances of harassment directed at players or staff by bettors and fantasy players. Those found to be harassing team personnel will placed on a league-wide stadium ban. In some states, such as Ohio, such behavior can also result in placement on the involuntary self-exclusion list.
As part of the integrity efforts, each team has been assigned an integrity representative, which the release said is a role usually filled by retired police officers or workers within the FBI.
