Florida’s Gambling Helpline: Transition to Kindbridge Research Institute

• Kindbridge Research Institute is poised to assume control of Florida’s gambling helpline.
• This nonprofit organization will succeed the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling.
• The Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling contended that the regulator refused to discuss the renewal of their contract.

Florida appears ready to settle on a new provider for its gambling hotline. The Florida Gaming Control Commission has recently posted relevant documentation on its website, as reported by Fox 29 on Wednesday, March 26.

Potential New Operator for Florida’s Helpline

The investigation into the provided documents reveals that the Kindbridge Research Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to creating impactful solutions for addictive behaviors and furthering research in this area, is expected to manage the toll-free helpline.

The incoming state operator aims to offer training services to employees at venues featuring slot machines. This initiative is designed to help staff recognize signs of addiction, allowing them to intervene early and address cases where consumers display symptoms of problematic behavior.

Previously, the helpline was under the management of the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling. However, differences between the regulator and the organization regarding the renewal terms led to the expiration of their contract in 2024.

Jennifer Kruse, Executive Director of the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling, highlighted financial constraints and the regulator’s unwillingness to negotiate as factors influencing the nonprofit’s withdrawal. She emphasized the challenges posed by understaffing and insufficient funding, which were exacerbated by the absence of a renewed state contract.

‘We have fewer staff members. We can’t fill vacant positions. We can’t produce hard copy literature due to budget constraints,’ Kruse explained, as reported by Fox 29.

While the Kindbridge Research Institute advances research and provides advisory services, its counterpart, Kindbridge Behavioral Health, focuses on delivering clinical services and integrating advanced research on addiction and problem gambling into treatment programs.

Disagreement Between Florida’s Gambling Regulator and Former Operator

A separate report by Casino Reports indicated that Ross Marshman, the Acting Executive Director of the Florida Gaming Control Commission, had indeed proposed a renewed contract to the Council. However, it was declined, leading to the expiration of the contract on July 1, 2024, and subsequently increasing the financial strain on the Council to maintain the service.

Despite this, the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling asserted that they had declined the contract offer, stating it was non-negotiable.

An attorney representing the Council communicated to lawmakers who heard Marshman’s testimony before the House State Administration Budget Subcommittee, explaining that the organization was offered a ‘take-it-or-leave-it’ deal without a chance to negotiate a suitable renewal contract.

The core issue revolved around the reporting requirements the regulator wanted to impose on the Council. Kruse argued that the new conditions demanded by the regulatory body would have been unfeasible due to the small size of the staff and the burdensome nature of these requirements.