The National Council for Problem Gambling (NCPG) Monday lost access to operating the 1-800-GAMBLER problem gambling hotline after a New Jersey judge ruled that control of the number will go back to the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ).

The NCPG must stop using the number, which is posted in casinos and on online gambling and sports betting platforms across the U.S., by Sept. 29. The organization had leased the number, and after talks broke down between the two groups earlier this year, the CCGNJ said it was not inclined to extend the lease.

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.

The CCGNJ first introduced the helpline in 1983. According to court documents, the CCGNJ argued that callers were not always greeted by a live operator, and that calls were dropped.

According to the contract, in cases of dispute, the two parties were bound to seek mediation, and if that failed, they could go to arbitration. The NCPG requested mediation July 9, which the CCGNJ denied, and the NCPG filed the legal complaint the same week. The dispute started in early 2025 when the CCGNJ proposed a one-year extension that the NCPG declined.

The latest contract expired in the spring, and the NCPG has continued to operate the number under a restraining order issued by the court earlier this year.

Switch may not be so easy

What happens to the number now is somewhat unclear. Per a Barron’s report, James Tarnofsky, a lawyer representing the NCPG, argued that “the entire network is under the domain of the NCPG — the texting, the chatting, in 49 states and territories. It’s not really ‘Just flip a switch and it goes to CCGNJ.’ The network will fall apart for a period of time. People will be without the services.”

The NCPG plans to appeal the decision.

Under the NCPG’s stewardship, the goal is for 1-800-GAMBLER to be answered by live humans, 24 hours a day. Callers — whether those in crisis or family members seeking assistance — can be immediately connected with local resources.

“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 told Casino Reports in August.

The CCGNJ said it plans to continue operating the helpline, and CCGNJ Executive Director Luis Del Orbe told SBC Americas last month it “is not going away, ever.”