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The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), the national organization, no longer has control of the 1-800-GAMBLER gambling addiction hotline, as a New Jersey organization will now operate it.
This comes after a legal battle has ensued, with New Jersey Superior Court Judge Douglas H. Hurd having ordered the NCPG to ‘cease and desist’ from continuing to use the hotline and the 1-800-GAMBLER trademark.
The judge also ordered the national organization not to interfere with the new operation of the hotline number.
On Monday, the New Jersey Supreme Court rejected an appeal from the NCPG, with the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey to be the ones to run the number.
At the time of the initial decision, the NCPG released a statement to say it is ‘dismayed’ with the court ruling and stated the decision will ‘fundamentally hinder nationwide access to timely, confidential, and high-quality care for those in need of problem gambling support by taking critical services offline.’
NCPG’s appeal was rejected, with the gambling addiction hotline now out of its hands
It was then, on September 22, that it announced it would be aggressively pursuing all appellate options and said it was in the process of filing an emergency motion asking the New Jersey Appellate Division to enter a stay to maintain the status quo for helpline operations while the appeal is considered.
In one of their arguments against the decision, the organization said that national demand will outpace state-level capacity. “Call traffic to 1-800-GAMBLER has surged by 150.71% since 2018, highlighting explosive growth in demand for nationwide problem gambling support,” the statement reads.
“With sole authority over routing, CCGNJ could change or disconnect 1-800-GAMBLER calls at will, leading to unpredictable disruptions in access to care,” they continued.
Now, the appeal has been rejected, the NCPG has released another statement to share their thoughts: “The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) acknowledges the New Jersey Supreme Court decision denying an emergency stay regarding the use and management of 1-800-GAMBLER as the National Problem Gambling Helpline number.
“We are deeply disappointed as this outcome will alter the current operations of the Helpline and will have a negative impact on access to problem gambling resources. NCPG remains committed to working with all stakeholders to minimize disruptions and ensure continued support for individuals and families in need.”
Now, the NCPG will operate the National Problem Gambling Helpline using a former number until a permanent solution can be found.
Featured Image: AI-generated via Ideogram
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Bally’s Bronx casino bid has been approved, whilst another Coney Island location was denied the opportunity to move forward.
Casinos in New York have seen stiff opposition from politicians and residents of the proposed areas. Bally’s has won out over the furore, with Thor Equities going back to the drawing board.
Bronx and Coney Island casinos given decisions
The location Bally’s has been approved to build on in the Bronx is a $4 billion endeavour that involves a golf course run by the Trump Administration.
Thor Equities was pushing to gain its own piece of the big apple gambling scene in Coney Island, but the $3 billion consortium’s bid was repelled.
Bally’s vote was approved by a majority of 5-2, where Thor Equities had their hopes dashed in a closer 4-2 vote against their location moving forward.
There is hope for the Coney Island location, as the battle for the Bronx location was a storied one we covered in its entirety.
Bronx casino saga comes to an end
The saga saw Bally’s being given a battering by local politicians, such as Council member Kristy Marmorato, who posted on social media about the marquee victory.

THIS IS WHAT COMMUNITY REPRESENTATION LOOKS LIKE!
We fought, we won, and we will continue to work together to keep District 13 the safe, prosperous, and beauty it is!
D13, this one is for YOU! https://t.co/UGdRpHkkUw
— Kristy Marmorato (@KristyforNY) July 14, 2025

Marmorato’s hope was short-lived as the Mayor of New York, Eric Adams, stepped into the fray to veto the casino decision laid down by the City Council.
“The City Council’s decision to treat the Bronx differently than other boroughs goes against the publicly stated, in-favor positions of the Bronx borough president and other councilmembers representing working-class neighborhoods across the Bronx,” said Adams.
Bally’s still needs to acquire a casino license after purchasing the land from the business owned by the family of the acting POTUS. That will be an expensive purchase on top of the $60 million the betting operator paid the Trump family for the remainder of the Ferry Point lease.
That is not all for Bally’s in paying the bill, as the location, being a licensed entertainment venue, is now subject to a previous agreement between the parties that requires the company to pay out a $115 million award upon successful approval.
Featured image: Pexels.
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The sports company Underdog has just announced a multi-year partnership in the United States with the baseball team, the Kansas City Royals.
The deal includes a market access partnership for licensed sports betting in the state of Missouri, and a range of marketing campaigns and philanthropic efforts to be worked on.
This comes as Underdog has a pending sports betting license application under review in the Missouri Gaming Commission, with the company currently offering licensed sports betting in North Carolina. It also holds fantasy sports licenses in several states across the country.
“The Royals have forged a deep and authentic connection with baseball fans throughout the Kansas City region, in Missouri and beyond,” said Stacie Stern, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Partnerships at Underdog.
“We’ve built our products with the same approach – real, organic connection with sports fans to get to one goal: make sports more fun. We are going to work with the Royals to bring the best sports betting experience possible to fans in Missouri, while we continue to drive innovation in sports gaming and expand our product offerings in new states.”
Underdog’s sports betting license application is pending in Missouri
Underdog claims to be the only top operator in the industry built on its own technology, which they say allows it to have a ‘unique ability’ to create new and engaging products for its consumers.
“The Royals look forward to continuing and enhancing our partnership with Underdog, which is our longest-standing relationship in sports gaming,” said Brooks Sherman, Royals President of Business Operations.
“We’ve partnered with them on some of our most engaging fan programs, like Bark at the Park and the Underdog Hot Dog Derby, and we look forward to working with Underdog to provide Royals fans throughout Missouri the opportunity to have even more fun while watching sports.”
Licensed sports betting operators are still waiting to go live in Missouri which is expected to take place later on this year. It’s thought that it’ll be on December 1 when sports betting can officially begin.
Featured Image: Canva
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DraftKings Inc. (DraftKings) and NBCUniversal (NBC) have entered into a new sports sponsorship deal that marks a new era for the betting company on the network’s many licensed channels and media.
The deal provides access to cross-platform integrations for the betting provider across the NBA, NFL, NCAA, PGA Tour, and Premier League, among other properties available as part of the new agreement.
DraftKings and NBCUniversal deal
This is the largest sports broadcasting deal DraftKings has entered into with a single media provider to date. Making the betting operator synonymous with one broadcaster for their coverage will be featured across the calendar year for all sporting events available to subscribers.
The news of this deal bolsters the rosy figures for DraftKings, which reported a 37% annual increase in Q2 in August. We covered the spike in earnings for the national betting provider, with DraftKings’ Chief Executive Officer and co-founder, Jason Robins, commenting that the deal was in line with their 2025 goals.
“We set records for revenue, net income, and Adjusted EBITDA in the second quarter, driven by an acceleration in revenue growth to 37% year-over-year,” he said of the $408 million betting boon.
NBC tentpole events available to DraftKings
“Our presence throughout NBCUniversal’s sports ecosystem will not only engage fans in powerful new ways but also augment our industry-leading live betting capabilities. Together, we will deliver a customer experience that moves at the speed of sports, bringing the thrill of NBA and other top action to life,” commented Stephanie Sherman, Chief Marketing Officer at DraftKings.
NBC has a number of events that the company regards as its “tentpoles.” These include Super Bowl LX, NBA All-Star Weekend, and the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup.
These flagship sporting milestones will also be available for DraftKings to utilize branded assets and receive an exclusive pathway to content and betting offers related to broadcasting.
Executive Vice President, NBC Sports, Sports & Olympics, Advertising and Partnerships, Peter Lazarus said, “Combining our excellence in sports entertainment with DraftKings’ industry-leading capabilities will transform the viewer experience just as NBCUniversal prepares to bring an unprecedented slate of sports programming to fans everywhere.”
DraftKings changes tact for Responsible Gambling Month
DraftKings has been adjusting its marketing strategies following the filing of a class action lawsuit against the company’s advertising practices in May 2025.
Since then, the NFL season has seen a softer approach from the betting brand, with a responsible gambling focus in their broadcast media and events.
This also coincides with Responsible Gambling Month across the nation, prompting Lori Kalani, Chief Responsible Gaming Officer at DraftKings, to state, “We are committed to providing customers with tools that support responsible play and enhance their experience.”
This is a big time for DraftKings, having acquired the keys to the broadcast kingdom on the back of record quarterly figures.
Featured image: NBCUniversal/DraftKings.
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Sidepot Casino has decided to relocate out of Arizona after the state tightened its restrictions on sweepstakes casinos.
The Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG) has been relentless in tightening overall gambling rules across 2025. Sweepstakes casinos have been the target of recent correspondence that has left many operators looking for the exit door.
Sidepot Casino, run by Fliff.inc, has been the seventh outfit to leave the state amid the regulatory push.
Sidepot exits the Arizona market
As we reported earlier this month (September 2025), the ADG issued a cease-and-desist order to Raffall. This came on the back of the operator promoting sweepstakes prizes, and the company’s links to external countries of operation were deemed a direct breach of state gaming laws.
Director of the Arizona Department of Gaming, Jackie Johnson, said, “Illegal gambling can take many forms, and it does not matter if it is labeled a sweepstakes, raffle, giveaway, or drawing.”

TODAY: ADG Issues Cease-and-Desists on“Phoenix Dream Home Sweepstakes”
ADG has issued cease-and-desist orders to Raffall, a company based in the United Kingdom, and to an Arizona resident using the platform.
Full news release: https://t.co/g9Ogzm5Hsx pic.twitter.com/FNHIDAJG4f
— Arizona Department of Gaming (@AzGaming) September 9, 2025

Sidepot Casino has become the latest figure of scrutiny for the ADG, and the operator has decided to withdraw. Betty Sweeps, Pulz, and Thrillzz were also involved in the cease communications from the regulator in August, with all of the other respective parties deciding to cut their losses.
ADG shifts focus to prediction markets
The ADG has now shifted its focus to another emerging gambling boom, driven by the prediction market rush across America. These new forms of gambling are currently living in the legal limbo of federal certification, with most, if not all, prediction providers falling under the protection and status of the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA).
The CEA, in collaboration with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), has identified a list of legal loopholes that currently enable prediction markets to operate across state lines.
This is in contrast to traditional betting providers, which must pay heavy licensing fees to operate in a state, much to their chagrin.
We reported that Kalshi has also taken on the California Tribes, stating that the ability for users to place bets on Tribal Lands is protected by the CEA and a select portion of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA).
So the battle between the ADG and prediction markets looks to be another front in their protracted war against their definition of providers who breach The Copper State’s legislature.
Featured image: Canva.
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