Experts knew that problem gambling would increase in North Carolina following the legalization and launch of online sports betting. The launch of new gambling products inevitably produces such an uptick, although much of the increase is often temporary. Fortunately, the NC Problem Gambling Helpline was prepared to handle the increased outreach for resources.
The helpline (1-877-718-5543 for North Carolina residents) has seen a 34% increase in calls specifically asking for help with problem gambling since March 2024, when the state launched online sportsbooks. The monthly volume of those calls rose from 18 in May to 24 in September.
Surprisingly, most calls to helplines—in North Carolina and elsewhere—aren’t actually from people looking for help with an addiction. According to WRAL News in Raleigh, overall calls to the Helpline increased from 74 in June 2023 to 109 in 2024, an increase of 47%. Those figures include any call to the Helpline, such as hangups, wrong numbers, and requests for information.
The Ups and Downs of Problem Gambling Calls
According to experts, an increase in problem gambling should be expected when a state adds a product, such as sports betting.
Executive Director of East Carolina University’s Gambling Research and Policy Initiative Michelle Malkin told WRAL:
In almost every state where we’ve expanded gambling, especially in terms of sports with wagering or iGaming, we’ve seen a rapid growth in the number of calls going to their hot lines.
There is, however, evidence that calls to gambling helplines may subsequently slow, months or years after legalization. Pennsylvana’s helpline saw a spike in calls for problem gambling in year one, but that rate leveled off in year two and may now be dropping.
The increase in calls may not be solely due to increased problem gambling, either. Another likely factor contributing to the rise in calls to gambling helplines is public awareness of the helpline’s existence. In many jurisdictions, including North Carolina, the law requires that a helpline number be included in any advertisement for sports betting. As a result, citizens are more likely to know where to turn for assistance. That’s how public health programs are supposed to work.
State Program Designed to Deliver Resources to Citizens in Danger of a Disorder
Started in 2006, the North Carolina Problem Gambling Program (NCPGP) administers the helpline.
The stated goal of the NCPGP and the helpline is to “to help people who are experiencing harm, even if they do not meet the full clinical criteria.”
The state website says:
We recognize that people are more than their addictions and struggles, therefore we use the terms people experiencing problems related to gambling or people living with a gambling disorder.
North Carolina has established a five-part program:
- Problem Gambling Helpline, which is available 24/7
- Treatment for Problem Gambling or Gambling Addiction
- Recovery
- Prevention
- Education
The state launched a website targeted at problem gambling this year under the name “More Than a Game.” The website contains resources for people who fear they or someone they know is having a problem with gambling.
About the Author
