Surge in Sports Betting to be Explored at NJ Compulsive Gambling Conference 

The Council on Compulsive Gambling of NJ’s annual conference next month will explore the surge in problem gambling that has followed the legalization of sports betting and the proliferation of betting apps and advertising that is often targeted to young adults. 

The 2024 conference, Betting on Change: Confronting the Surge in Problem Gambling, will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 20 at the New Jersey Hospital Association, 760 Alexander Road in Princeton. 

Since 2018, the year New Jersey legalized sports betting, the council’s 800-GAMBLER Helpline has experienced a 277% increase in calls, the council said. More recently, there has been a demographic shift in callers with the majority now young men whose sports wagering has become all-consuming in their lives. 

The conference keynote and the closing plenary session will address this issue and explore different aspects of sports betting. Other sessions will cover the financial issues caused by problem gambling and restoring financial stability, and the path to recovery from disordered gambling from both a personal and clinical perspective. 

“Over the past six years, gambling has become increasingly embedded in our society,” said CCGNJ Executive Director Felicia Grondin. “Our conference will feature experts offering insightful presentations on gambling trends and their consequences. It will also provide a story of hope through one person’s recovery from gambling addiction.” 

To register to attend the conference, or for more information about sponsorships or exhibit opportunities, go the Council on Compulsive Gambling of NJ’s website here.  

The nonprofit council’s 1-800-GAMBLER Helpline and www.800gambler.org website are resources for thousands of people with a gambling problem, those in recovery, as well as their friends and families. The 1-800-GAMBLER helpline is free and confidential, and is available 24 hours a day in New Jersey and throughout much of the U.S.