Lia Nower, JD, PhD, Rutgers University Professor and Director of its Center for Gambling Studies, has joined the Board of Directors of the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG). She is currently Chair of the NCPG Research Committee and has served on several other committees. 

“The National Council on Problem Gambling works closely with our Board of Directors to advance policies and programs that assist people and families affected by problem gambling,” said Keith Whyte, Executive Director of NCPG. “We are excited that Lia Nower will be joining our Board. Her expertise will help NCPG be more effective in an environment where gambling is expanding rapidly throughout the country.”

The 15-strong NCPG Board of Directors meets throughout the year to set the direction of the organization by establishing strategic goals, approving its budget, helping with the planning of conferences and events, monitoring the effectiveness of existing programs and assisting with the establishment of new programs.

“I am honored to become a member of the NCPG Board of Directors,” said Nower. “The increase in gambling opportunities is enormously profitable for operators and provides tax revenues to states. On the other hand, it also brings negative potential consequences from financial troubles to psychiatric disorders. NCPG is there for those in need and I hope to improve the caliber of help they are able to provide.”

Nower has co-authored several policy initiatives, including models for self-exclusion, responsible gambling programs, and problem gambling treatment service integration into state systems. She co-authored the Pathways Model and the Gambling Pathways Questionnaire (GPQ), which are used internationally in research and treatment and currently heads the team evaluating play-by-play data for Internet gambling and sports wagering in the State of New Jersey

Previously she has served as a National Institute of Health (NIH) pre-doctoral fellow, a Fulbright fellow, and a research intern at the National Research Council at the National Academies.

“On behalf of the NCPG Board of Directors, I want to congratulate Dr. Nower on her appointment,” said Robert Jacobson, President of the NCPG Board of Directors and Executive Director of the California Council on Problem Gambling.

“Throughout her career, Lia has demonstrated considerable expertise in understanding how people become addicted, and what responsible gambling measures and problem gambling treatments work best. We know she will be an invaluable contributor to the Board.”