North Carolina is home to several professional sports teams, from the NHL to the NBA, and is a powerhouse for college sports. The love for sports and fandom made the state a key priority for several licensed gambling operators. In the summer of 2023, then-Gov. Roy Cooper signed legislation legalizing online sports betting, which allowed fans to start placing wagers online in March of 2024.

As revenue from bets increased, so did calls to the N.C. Problem Gambling Helpline — averaging more than double the amount of calls since legalization. In September 2024, it was announced that clinical calls, which involve seeking treatment or help, went up 34%.

About 5.5% of adults and 10% of youths in North Carolina have gambling-related problems, which also impacts families and communities, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.

The N.C. Problem Gambling Program has increased the helpline budget for fiscal year 2025 to support prevention grants, treatment funds, and research efforts. One partnership is between the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services and the Gambling Research & Policy Initiative (GRPI). Housed at East Carolina University, the GRPI focuses on gambling awareness, behavior, risk and gambling-related harms. It also researches historically marginalized and understudied populations, and their relationship with gambling.

On this episode, we speak with the director of the GRPI, the prevention coordinator for the N.C. Problem Gambling Program, and a therapist right here in the region that specializes in counseling and treatment for gambling addiction. We’ll discuss many things from what’s being done for prevention and how someone can get help when gambling becomes more than just a game.

GUESTS
Jessica Auslander, Ph.D., licensed clinical addiction specialist who specializes in gambling counseling
Alison Drain, prevention coordinator at the N.C. Problem Gambling Program
Michelle Malkin, Ph.D., J.D., director of the Gambling Research & Policy Initiative, East Carolina University