National Council on Problem Gambling Announces Fall 2022 Grant Recipients

Washington, DC – Today, the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), announced $120,000 in funding will be awarded to three organizations in support of problem gambling prevention programs through their Agility Grant initiative.

The Agility Grant program is the first-ever program to offer national grants in problem gambling prevention and is funded by the National Football League Foundation with additional support from FanDuel. The program will award more than $1 million dollars over three years to establish and expand problem gambling prevention efforts across the country. Agility Grants are specifically designed for programs seeking to minimize harm on a primary level – among those who have not yet gambled; or on a secondary level – among those who have limited gambling experience.

“Problem gambling among youth has emerged as a significant and growing public health issue. Research has shown that prevention strategies produce the greatest impact,” said Keith Whyte, NCPG Executive Director. “We applaud the recipients of these Agility Grants for working to address problem gambling at the source and hope that this support will increase their impact on the community.”

Approximately 60 percent of high-school-aged adolescents report having gambled for money in the last year, and 10-14% of adolescents are at risk for developing a problem with gambling. Of utmost concern are the 4-6% of adolescents that research has shown already have a serious problem with gambling.

“We’re proud to support the NCPG’s important work through this unique program which aims to combat problem gambling, particularly in young adults and adolescents,” said Anna Isaacson, Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility at the NFL. “These Agility Grants will provide critical funds to three very worthy organizations who share our desire to curb problem gambling through proactive outreach and education.”

The Fall 2022 Agility Grant awards serve as the second round of prevention grant funding from the National Council on Problem Gambling. Successful applications aligned closely with NCPG’s vision of improving health and wellness by reducing the personal, social and economic costs of problem gambling. The application of each grant recipient prioritized the areas of prevention innovation, collaboration, amplification and community impact in their proposal.

Fall 2022 Agility Grant funding will support the following programs: 

Freedom House of Mecklenburg, Inc. will receive Agility Grant support for “Problem Gambling Primary and Secondary Prevention Curriculum Development,” a collaborative school-based program that will incorporate problem gambling prevention curriculum into the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools (CMS). In partnership with CMS and the North Carolina Problem Gambling Program, Freedom House of Mecklenburg will integrate problem gambling prevention lessons into the Choice Led Health curriculum taught to approximately 20,000 7th graders across 49 CMS middle schools. The program curriculum will include resources from Stacked Deck, an evidence-based problem gambling prevention program.

Ohio in Arabic will receive Agility Grant support for “Let Me Tell You Why,” a new bilingual awareness campaign designed to reach Arab youths and their families across Ohio. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the dangers of problem gambling and reduce the stigma around problem gambling in Arab communities by offering knowledge in a culturally appropriate manner. The “Let Me Tell You Why” campaign will consist of social media, digital and print materials that are designed to be engaging, factual, and dynamic to effectively reach a historically underserved audience.

Volunteers of America Oregon (VOA Oregon) will receive Agility Grant support for the development of a Peer Driven Problem Gambling Prevention Campaign targeting high school and college-age student athletes. Using interviews and focus groups with student athletes, researchers will identify current exposure levels, attitudes and behaviors about gambling. Focus group findings will be used collaboratively by prevention experts and student athletes to develop and pilot a problem gambling awareness campaign designed to be used in outreach to all student athletes in school settings.

The Agility Grant program is in part made possible by a multimillion-dollar, multi-year commitment from the NFL to NCPG as part of the League’s public awareness program designed to educate fans to engage in sports betting responsibly. Agility Grants are awarded through two funding rounds each year. The Spring 2023 funding round will be open for applications from January 18 to February 28, 2023. More information about Agility Grants can be found at ncpgambling.org/agility.

 About the National Council on Problem Gambling
The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) is neutral on legalized gambling. Based in Washington DC, NCPG is the only national nonprofit organization that seeks to minimize the economic and social costs associated with gambling addiction. If you or someone you know may have a gambling problem, contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline, which offers hope and help without stigma or shame. Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER or visit www.1800gamblerchat.org. Help is available 24/7 – it is free and confidential.

CONTACT:
Cait Huble
CaitH@ncpgambling.org 
202-470-1815