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National Council on Problem Gambling Inc

EIN 51-0141872 · Washington, DC

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO LEAD STATE AND NATIONAL STAKEHOLDERS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE POLICY AND PROGRAMS FOR ALL THOSE AFFECTED BY PROBLEM GAMBLING IN ORDER TO ADVANCE WELL-BEING BY REDUCING THE PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC COSTS OF GAMBLING-RELATED HARM.

Income
$9.1 million
Spending
$5.1 million
Spent on programs
88%
Reserves
4.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 84%
Employees
14
Volunteers
150
Highest pay
$188,273, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 85 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 9% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 44% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 287% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    88% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    14 of 14 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $3.6 million spent. NCPG PROVIDES NATIONAL PUBLIC AWARENESS PROGRAMS, INCLUDING:A. PROBLEM GAMBLING AWARENESS MONTH (PGAM) ANNUALLY IN MARCH; ABOUT 1,000 USERS DOWNLOADED OUR FREE TOOLKIT WITH CUSTOMIZABLE PROMOTIONAL ASSETS FOR GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN; 3,265 PARTNERS NATIONWIDE. NEARLY 9 MILLION AMERICAN ADULTS STRUGGLE WITH A GAMBLING DISORDER, COSTING AN ESTIMATED $14 BILLION ANNUALLY; AND ALMOST 20 MILLION ADULTS REPORTED AT LEAST ONE INDICATOR OF A GAMBLING PROBLEM IN THE LAST YEAR.B. GIFT RESPONSIBLY CAMPAIGN: ANNUAL PUSH IN DECEMBER BUT APPLICABLE ALL YEAR ROUND; EDUCATES ADULTS ON WHY LOTTERY TICKETS ARE NOT GOOD GIFTS FOR CHILDREN, BECAUSE EARLY 'BIG WINS' MAKE IT MORE LIKELY TO DEVELOP A GAMBLING ADDICTION LATER IN LIFE; FREE TOOLKIT WITH CUSTOMIZABLE PROMOTIONAL ASSETS FOR LOTTERIES AND GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGNC. NATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS, INCLUDING WEB SITE WITH A WIDE RANGE OF RESOURCES AND INFORMATION ON PROBLEM GAMBLING & RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING; D. NCPG AGILITY GRANTS SUPPORT SELECTED US NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO CREATE AND IMPLEMENT PROBLEM GAMBLING PREVENTION PROGRAMS. THIS INITIATIVE WAS ESTABLISHED TO ADDRESS SERVICE GAPS IN AREAS LACKING SUCH PROVISIONS AND TO FORTIFY PROMISING ENDEAVORS. APPROXIMATELY $1 MILLION IN FUNDING SUPPORT WAS GRANTED FROM 2022 TO 2024 TO ESTABLISH AND ENHANCE PROBLEM GAMBLING PREVENTION. IT IS THE ONLY SUCH NATIONAL PROGRAM IN THE US.E. NATIONAL MEDIA CONTACT AND SPOKESPERSON; F. TWO MICROSITES: 1) <RESPONSIBLEPLAY.ORG>IS FOR THE APPROX 95% OF THE POPULATION THAT PARTICIPATE IN GAMBLING BUT DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM; AND 2) <OPERATIONRESPONSIBLEGAMBLING.ORG> PROVIDES TARGETED INFORMATION FOR THE MILITARY COMMUNITY, WHOSE PEOPLE ARE AT HIGHER RISK OF PROBLEM GAMBLING.G. EDUCATION: WEBINARS ON A RANGE OF PG & RG TOPICS; NCPG'S MEMBERS HAVE ACCESS TO A LEARNING LIBRARY OF PAST WEBINARSH. ON-CALL EXPERTISE ON ALL MATTERS PERTAINING TO B2B PROBLEM GAMBLING AND RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING; CONTRIBUTIONS IN SUPPORT OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE CRITICAL, AS NCPG RECEIVES NO FEDERAL FUNDING.. THERE ARE NO FEDERAL AGENCIES TASKED WITH ADDRESSING GAMBLING ADDICTION. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RECEIVES APPROX. $10B IN TAX INCOME FROM GAMBLING EACH YEAR.
  2. $887,870 spent. NCPG PROVIDES THE NATIONAL PROBLEM GAMBLING HELPLINE NETWORK (1-800-GAMBLER), MAKING LOCAL HELP FOR PROBLEM GAMBLING JUST ONE CALL AWAY ANYWHERE IN THE U.S. THE HELPLINE RECEIVES HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CALLS EACH YEAR, INSTANTLY ROUTED TO ONE OF 28 STATE OR REGIONAL CALL CENTERS, WHICH ARE OPERATED BY NCPG AFFILIATES, STATE AGENCIES, AND/OR VENDORS. SINCE NCPG LICENSED THE 1-800-GAMBLER NUMBER IN 2022, THE NATIONAL PROBLEM GAMBLING HELPLINE HAS EXPERIENCED RAPID GROWTH IN AWARENESS, ACCESS, AND EFFECTIVENESS, INCLUDING A 34% INCREASE IN MONTHLY CALL TRAFFIC.THE NCPG HELPLINE IS THE ONLY SUCH '911' SERVICE IN THE U.S. FOR PEOPLE DEALING WITH GAMBLING PROBLEMS (INCLUDING FAMILY AND LOVED ONES) AND IS THE ONLY ACCESS TO HELP IN MANY STATES. CASINOS CLUSTERED ON STATE BORDERS, AND SPORTS EVENTS AND THEIR SPORTS-BETTING ADS CROSS STATE LINES AND OFTEN REACH INTO AREAS WHERE THERE ARE NO PROBLEM GAMBLING SERVICES. NCPG IS THE ONLY NATION-WIDE PROVIDER OF SERVICES AND TRAINING TO FACILITATE ACCESS AND TREATMENT FOR GAMBLING PROBLEMS. WE ALSO PROVIDE EXPANDED HELPLINE SERVICES VIA TEXTING AND ONLINE CHAT IN ALL 50 STATES, LEVERAGING THE MOBILE DEVICES THAT ARE UBIQUITOUS BOTH FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND MOBILE GAMBLING, ESPECIALLY AMONG YOUNGER PEOPLE, WHO HAVE A HIGHER RATE OF RISK FOR GAMBLING ADDICTION. NCPG RECEIVES NO FEDERAL FUNDING TO COVER THE COSTS OF PROVIDING THIS NATIONWIDE SERVICE, WHICH IS COMPLETELY FUNDED BY NCPG'S MEMBERS AND DONORS, INCLUDING THOSE THAT ARE PART OF OUR LEADERSHIP CIRCLE.NCPG PROVIDES A TOOLKIT TO FACILITATE THE PROMOTION OF THE NATIONAL PROBLEM GAMBLING HELPLINE, 1-800-GAMBLER. WE ALSO CREATED A PUBLICLY-AVAILABLE NATIONAL HELPLINE ANALYTICS DASHBOARD PROVIDING INFORMATION ON INCOMING TRAFFIC TO THE HELPLINE.
  3. NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING AND GAMBLING ADDICTION - NCPG PRODUCES THE OLDEST AND LARGEST ANNUAL PROBLEM GAMBLING CONFERENCE IN THE WORLD. OVER 650 COUNSELORS AND TREATMENT PROFESSIONALS, STATE ADMINISTRATORS, PREVENTIONISTS, RESEARCHERS, REGULATORS, GAMBLING INDUSTRY AND LOTTERY EXECUTIVES, PEOPLE IN RECOVERY, LOVED ONES AND OTHER INTERESTED GROUPS ATTEND EACH YEAR FOR TRAINING AND CONTINUING EDUCATION. IN 2024 IT WAS HELD IN SAN DIEGO, CA; THE LOCATION CHANGES EVERY YEAR TO OFFER EASIER ACCESS TO ALL REGIONS OF THE COUNTRY IN TURN. NCPG AND ITS PARTNERS OFFER A PROGRAM OF BOTH CUTTING-EDGE AND EVERGREEN TOPICS WITH NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN SPEAKERS AND SESSIONS IN PREVENTION, EDUCATION, TREATMENT, ENFORCEMENT, RESEARCH, RECOVERY, REGULATION AND RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING, INCLUDING SPORTS BETTING AND NATIVE AMERICAN (TRIBAL) GAMING.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since July 1975.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.