The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) has officially announced the recipients of its 2025 National Awards, recognizing exemplary efforts in prevention, research, advocacy, and responsible gambling. The awards ceremony, sponsored by Scientific Games, took place on July 18 in Columbus, Ohio, during the annual National Conference on Gambling Addiction & Responsible Gambling.
Among those honored were:
- Michael Wohl, Carleton University – Lifetime Award for Research
- Oregon Lottery – Corporate Social Responsibility Award, Corporate Public Awareness Award, and Corporate Multicultural Communications Award
- Peggy Brown – Jeffrey M. Beck Recovery Ambassador Award
- Susan Diamond, Ohio Lottery – Service Award
- Jeremy Eberle, Alternative Avenues – Joanna Franklin Award for Direct Service
- Claire Spada, Problem Gambling Network of Ohio – Jim Wuelfing Award for Prevention
- Stacy Shaw, Oregon Lottery – Don Feeney Award for Responsible Gambling Excellence
- Megan Poliquin, Zepf Center – Don Hulen Award for Advocacy & Awareness
- Jackie Stanmyre, Rutgers University – Dr. Durand Jacobs Dissertation Award
- Shandra Parks, Maryland Council on Problem Gambling – Denise Phillips Community Outreach and Multicultural Wellness Award
- The Ohio Newsroom, reported by Erin Gottsacker – Media Award
- Problem Gambling Coalition of Colorado – Affiliate Public Awareness Award
- Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling – Affiliate Multicultural Communications Award and Affiliate Awareness Campaign Impact Award
- Virginia Lottery – Corporate Awareness Campaign Impact Award
- Illinois Council on Problem Gambling – Affiliate People’s Choice Award
- Ohio for Responsible Gambling – Corporate People’s Choice Award
NCPG praised the winners for their dedication to minimizing gambling-related harm through education, advocacy, direct services, and public engagement.
Agility Grants Support Local Prevention Efforts
In addition to the national awards, NCPG continues to invest in grassroots initiatives through its Agility Grants program. In its sixth funding round since launching in 2022, the program distributed $320,000 in Fall 2024 to eight community-focused organizations.
Projects that received funding included:
- CADCA, creating a problem gambling toolkit for grassroots coalitions.
- East Carolina University, launching an awareness campaign targeting student populations.
- Envision Partnerships, developing a curriculum for youth athletes and coaches.
- Neighborhood Youth Academy, tailoring prevention content for youth athletes of color.
- Oregon Council on Problem Gambling, leading statewide training workshops.
- Student Assistance Services, partnering with the JCK Foundation to reach 50 schools in New York.
- University at Albany, rolling out peer-led behavioral health initiatives.
- University of Michigan, introducing a campus-wide prevention strategy.
New Report Uncovers Regulatory Gaps in Online Sports Betting
NCPG has also released a critical report evaluating how well U.S. states meet the organization’s Internet Responsible Gambling Standards (IRGS). The findings suggest that many states fall short of offering sufficient consumer protections.
On average, states met just 32 of the 82 IRGS benchmarks. Top performers included Connecticut, New Jersey, and Virginia, each meeting 49 standards. Others, such as Colorado, Louisiana, and New York, also showed relative strength.
However, numerous states lagged behind. Nine states, including Illinois, Arizona, and Michigan, met only 25–39 standards. Eleven others, such as Florida, Arkansas, and Delaware, achieved even fewer, meeting between 10–24.
Amid these findings, federal legislators have introduced the SAFE Bet Act, which aims to implement nationwide standards for online sports betting. Key provisions include banning primetime gambling ads and requiring clear, non-deceptive advertising language.
Source:
“National Council on Problem Gambling Announces Recipients of 2025 Awards”, ncpgambling.org, Jul 18, 2025
The post National Council on Problem Gambling Honors 2025 Awardees first appeared on RealMoneyAction.com.