NCPG Statement on the Termination of Federal Addiction and Mental Health Grants

The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) is deeply concerned by reports of the nationwide termination of approximately $2 billion in federal addiction and mental health grants. While the federal government has never dedicated funding to addressing gambling addiction, decisions that weaken the broader addiction and mental health care system carry real and immediate consequences for the individuals and families that NCPG serves. 

Addiction and mental health conditions do not exist in isolation. Research shows gambling addiction is closely linked to other mental health conditions including substance and alcohol use disorders, depression, and anxiety. Nearly 90% of individuals with a gambling disorder have at least one additional mental health diagnosis, with nearly one-third having three or more diagnoses. When funding for prevention, treatment, and recovery services is reduced, individuals with co-occurring conditions face fewer pathways to care, delayed intervention, and an increased risk of harm. 

At a time when gambling opportunities are expanding at an unprecedented rate, destabilizing addiction and mental health services erodes the public health infrastructure communities rely on and increases the risk of harm. NCPG urges policymakers to reconsider any action that undermines the addiction and mental health safety net and to prioritize sustained, evidence-based investment in prevention, treatment, research, and recovery.