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History

The Kentucky Council on Problem Gambling (KYCPG), a non-profit, 501(c)(3) charitable organization, was founded in 1995 and incorporated as a Kentucky non-profit organization in 1996. It began as the vision of Curtis L. Barrett, Ph.D., professor emeritus, University of Louisville. He saw in his teaching and practice that disordered gambling (otherwise known as compulsive, pathological or addicted gambling) was an existing concern for Kentucky, and that action was needed to raise awareness of the issue among the citizenry, with governments, and even inside the gambling industry, itself.

With organizing donations from the Kentucky Lottery Corporation and Churchill Downs, Inc., KYCPG — then called the Kentucky Council on Compulsive Gambling — began to organize training conferences and develop awareness materials. It entered an agreement with the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey to have calls to the 1-800-GAMBLER helpline from Kentucky’s area codes directed for response in Kentucky.

As an affiliate of the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), KYCPG does not oppose gambling or wagering as entertainment. In fact, the Kentucky Council is gambling neutral — neither for or against gambling. Gambling exists, and many people enjoy the pastime. When gambling no longer is a game, the Kentucky Council on Problem Gambling seeks to help those threatened by the addiction.

The Kentucky Council’s purpose is to inform professionals and the Commonwealth’s citizens of this debilitating behavioral illness and public-health concern that could negatively affect business and personal relationships, and to increase the availability of treatment services for individuals seeking to address their gambling behavior.

In 2001, KYCPG adopted its current name, and followed in 2002 by developing a vision, mission and series of strategic goals. The original mission was:  “to increase awareness of problem gambling, advocate for widespread availability of treatment for problem gamblers, and promote research and education on problem gambling.” The current mission is: “to increase awareness of problem gambling through securing funding to promote prevention and research, and advocate for the availability of treatment.”

In 2025, KYCPG updated its Strategic Plan.

Following are highlights of some of the projects in which the Kentucky Council on Problem Gambling has invested in an effort to fulfill its mission:

  • The 1-800-GAMBLER helpline, providing crisis intervention and referral to treatment or self-assistance. Text and chat services were added in 2016.
  • Outreach programs and an annual conference that educate treatment professionals and the general public.
  • Encouragement of more treatment professionals accredited to counsel addicted gamblers and their families. Working in cooperation with the state Department of Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities (DBHDID), KYCPG has helped increase the number of certified counselors in Kentucky from one in 1998. With additional help from special corporate sponsors, KYCPG presented Exam Preparation Workshops to encourage counselors to seek certification by the American Compulsive Gambling Counselor Certification Board (ACGCCB) in 2002 and 2015. The ACGCCB merged with the International Gambler Counselor Certification Board in 2016. The Certification Board changed its name in 2024 to the International Problem Gambling and Gaming Certification Organization (IPGGC). In January 2024, KYCPG offered at no charge to counselors, a one-week, 30 classroom hours training program to prepare counselors to seek IPGGC Level One Problem Gambling Counselor Certification. KYCPG continues to seek avenues to increase counselors certified to treat gamblers.
  • Training programs on gambling awareness that can be presented to community organizations, schools and the gaming industry. In 2001, KYCPG debuted Lesson Plans on Gambling Behavior, a curriculum model aimed at middle and high school youth. A second curriculum — Choices. There Always IS a Right One! — debuted in 2005. Produced in cooperation with the Kentucky Lottery Corporation, the 50-minute addiction awareness program for middle and high school students was distributed at no cost to about 200 schools. The curriculum was discontinued on 2024 due to the need to update.
  • Increasing self-help opportunities through cooperation with Gamblers’ Anonymous and Gam-Anon.
  • Industry, education and volunteer awards recognizing contributions to or treatment of problem and disordered gambling.
  • Initially published When It’s More Than a Game… — an awareness brochure on problem and disordered gambling — and It’s a Great Game, an awareness booklet. In 2008, KYCPG produced in cooperation with the Indiana Council on Problem Gambling an awareness brochure targeting charitable gaming. In 2010, KYCPG produced in cooperation with the MidCentral Alliance on Problem Gambling an awareness brochure targeting human resource and employee assistance professionals. KYCPG has a current brochure targeting youth. Various rack cards seek to raise awareness and promote use of 1-800-GAMBLER helpline.
  • Helped develop a coalition among the gaming industry, government and certified gambler counselors to conduct the statewide Responsible Gaming Education Week held during the first week of August each year. KYCPG shifted its participation to National Problem Gambling Awareness Month each March to focus more on services to gamblers while still promoting responsible gambling.
  • Served as the local host of the National Conference on Problem Gambling in Louisville, KY, in June 2003. KYCPG Past-President Caleb Cooley served as a National Council on Problem Gambling Board member and as the organization’s treasurer. KYCPG Executive Director Michael R. Stone also served as an NCPG Board member and helped draft a NCPG strategic plan and bylaws. Past KYCPG Secretary Chip Polston was an NCPG Board member.
  • KYCPG President Herbert E. Newman, Psy.D., and KYCPG Professional Adviser Curtis L. Barrett, Ph.D., both served on the previous American Compulsive Gambling Counselor Certification Board. Current KYCPG President RonSonLyn Clark, Psy.D., served on the IPGGC Board.
    KYCPG was the founding council of the MidCentral Alliance on Problem Gambling, which also includes the state councils on problem gambling affiliated with NCPG in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
  • The Kentucky General Assembly legalized sports gambling in 2023, and the legislation, approved by Gov. Andy Beshear, established the first publicly funded problem and disordered gambling education, awareness, prevention and treatment program. KYCPG advocated for this legislation for 23 years before its passage. The Problem Gambling Assistance Account is funded by 2.5 percent of the state revenue collected from sports gambling and horse racing development funds. KYCPG is submitting proposals to continue counselor training and to contract for services to problem and disordered gamblers and their families.