NPR Blasts Legal Sports Betting, Claims Help for Problem Gamblers Limited
National Public Radio, or NPR, stated in a report on Saturday that assistance for individuals who develop a gambling addiction related to sports is scarce and hard to find.
In an article released on Saturday, Katia Riddle, an NPR reporter focused on mental health issues for the public broadcasting entity based in Washington, DC, stated that “March Madness brings a surge in betting, yet assistance for gambling problems is difficult to locate.”
Is that really the case? Each state with legalized sports betting mandates that sportsbook operators incorporate responsible gaming messaging and advertise support resources.
Riddle and various mental health specialists believe it's insufficient. They think that federal financing is necessary to properly support problematic sports gamblers.
"National advocates warn treatment is underfunded, especially compared to the billions of dollars of investment that the federal government puts into resources for addiction to alcohol, tobacco, and other substances,” wrote Riddle.
Cait Huble, a representative for the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), concurs.
“There’s no federal funding for gambling addiction. It is several decades behind it in terms of public opinion and recognition of it as a mental health condition,” Huble said.
NPR Opinion
NPR is encountering significant backlash from Republicans following NPR President Katherine Maher's admission that the news outlet has committed certain coverage errors previously. Maher admitted that the network was incorrect to label the Hunter Biden laptop issue as a “non-story.”
The Congress led by the GOP is considering whether to reduce or eliminate government support for NPR and PBS. In a heated hearing earlier this week with the Committee on Oversight & Government Reform, Maher stated that NPR offers essential, impartial news to millions of people in the United States.
“I do not believe we are politically biased,” Maher stated. “We are a non-biased organization.”
A lot of Republicans believe that isn’t accurate.
Regarding gaming, NPR’s Saturday report appears to criticize the industry for operating “a business model reliant on addiction.”
“There’s no revenue without the addicted gambler,” declared Les Bernal of the advocacy group, Stop Predatory Gambling.
Sector Defense
The American Gaming Association reports that the legal, regulated commercial and tribal gaming sectors provide approximately $130 million annually for "services, prevention, and treatment of problem gambling." Approximately $100 million from casino gaming taxes is allocated each year for services related to problem gambling.
The AGA is also advancing its responsible sports wagering initiative, "Have A Game Plan." Initiated in 2019, a year after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the federal prohibition on sports betting, the initiative "brings together leagues, teams, media, sportsbooks, and other key industry participants to make sports betting education accessible for fans."
The public service initiative urges gamblers to establish a budget, make it social and enjoyable, comprehend the odds, and wager only at licensed sportsbooks.
According to the AGA, individuals who struggle to adhere to their game plan should consider reaching out to the National Problem Gambling Helpline for assistance. The 1-800-GAMBLER hotline automatically directs callers to their state resource agency, where counselors are accessible 24/7, every day of the year.
