The Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ) will hold its annual conference on Sept. 28 focusing on the growth of online betting and sports betting apps, and the proliferation of gambling advertising that has created a greater need for the council’s programs and services.
The CCGNJ Conference on Disordered Gambling taking place at the Holiday Inn of East Windsor includes sessions about scientific advances related to the brain and addiction, gambling issues affecting minority populations, and the excess of gambling advertising.
The conference keynote will be delivered by licensed psychologist Kenneth Martz, who will delve into neuroscience and rewiring the brain in a presentation titled “The Power of Plasticity: Paving New Neural Pathways for Recovery.”
The opening plenary session will examine gambling issues facing the LGBTQ and Latino communities, followed by a consideration of how to limit gambling advertising in an age of relaxed restrictions on commercial free speech. The conference will conclude with a dialogue on what gambling industry operators need to do to foster a robust responsible gambling environment and the role of regulators in securing such an environment.
Online gambling in New Jersey was recently extended to 2028 by final passage of A-2190/S-3075, which was signed into law by the governor on June 30. Executive Director Felicia Grondin testified during legislative hearings that too little attention has been paid on the social costs of online gambling because policymakers are focused on the revenue that online and sports betting bring to state coffers.
The growing need to help problem gamblers is evident by the upswell of intake calls to the 1-800-GAMBLER Helpline, which have increased by 28% between FY 2022 and FY2023, Grondin said. The CCGNJ’s response to the spike in problem gambling includes expanded focus on responsible gambling efforts and developing a program that provides education about gambling risks for youth.
The theme of the Sept. 28 conference is: “Four Decades of Gambling Expansion: Why Our Help is Needed Now More than Ever.” Sponsorship opportunities are available to individuals and organizations who would like to support the Council’s mission to meet the growing need for programs and services.
To register to attend the conference, learn more about sponsorship opportunities, or obtain information about becoming an exhibitor, go to CCGNJ’s website here. CCGNJ will offer a limited number of scholarships for the conference.
About CCGNJ
The Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey is a private nonprofit that for 40 years has been providing information, education and treatment referral services to people affected by gambling problems. The Council’s 1-800-GAMBLER Helpline and website www.800gambler.org have been resources for thousands of people with a gambling problem, those in recovery, as well as their friends and families.
