NCPG says Kalshi $2m support has not altered its prediction-market stance

The National Council on Problem Gambling confirmed on 22 September 2026 that its acceptance of a $2m commitment from Kalshi has not changed its position that buying event contracts is "functionally gambling" and can cause harm. The $2m pledge, delivered after Kalshi became NCPG’s first Financial Services & Trading member in May, has prompted several member organisations and regulators to cut ties with the nonprofit.

NCPG restates its view on prediction markets and consumer safeguards

NCPG made clear that the statement it published on 22 September reflects the same policy the organisation held before Kalshi joined. Cait Huble, NCPG director of public affairs, told NEXTPredict.io that "NCPG maintains a strong firewall between its donors and its work" and that financial support does not influence the group's positions. Huble pointed to NCPG’s April public comment to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission on proposed rules for event contract derivatives as evidence of continuity: the organisation previously argued that purchasing event contracts "is functionally gambling and carries the potential for gambling-related harm."

The September statement, authored by NCPG board president Derek Longmeier, called for baseline safeguards that include self-exclusion, age verification, clear risk disclosures and direct access to problem-gambling resources.

How NCPG describes current harms and helpline contacts

NCPG says the concern is not hypothetical. Huble reported that the National Problem Gambling Helpline (1-800-MY-RESET) is receiving contacts linked to prediction markets, which NCPG interprets as direct evidence of consumer harm. She also referenced research and other indicators suggesting an overlap between gambling behaviour and high-risk financial activities that people increasingly treat as investing or wealth-building.

Those signals underpin NCPG’s call for safeguards to keep pace with platform growth and accessibility.

Kalshi’s response and industry safeguards

Kalshi disputes NCPG’s characterisation of event contracts. A Kalshi spokesperson told Axios that the exchange has "industry-leading consumer protections and resources for traders" and said it disagreed with NCPG’s assessment while welcoming dialogue.

Operators in the prediction-market space have been expanding responsible-trading tools. Kalshi has introduced trading breaks, personalised funding caps, a Health Check system that flags potentially unhealthy trading activity and recommends deposit limits, and an "Inner Circle" feature that lets trusted contacts see a user’s activity. Kalshi also offers trader access to support through Birches Health and has worked with IC360 to integrate a cross-platform self-exclusion tool.

Other platforms have adopted similar measures. Novig enforces a 21-and-over requirement, deposit and loss limits, cooling-off periods and self-exclusion. Sportsbook-linked operators have rolled responsible-gaming frameworks into their prediction products: DraftKings extended deposit limits and self-exclusion to its prediction-market business, and FanDuel Predicts provides deposit limits, alerts and self-exclusion options. NCPG said many of these safeguards should be considered a baseline for prediction-market platforms.

Membership fallout and regulator reactions

The Kalshi membership and funding have driven concrete consequences for NCPG’s network. The Michigan Gaming Control Board and the Ohio Casino Control Commission both withdrew from NCPG citing concerns about the Kalshi arrangement. Massachusetts Gaming Commission considered leaving but voted to remain a member. Washington’s Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling resigned on 16 September, pointing to unresolved concerns about the Kalshi agreement and broader questions about NCPG’s governance and transparency.

Aristocrat, a gaming supplier, said it was "stepping back" from NCPG because of the organisation’s acceptance of substantial funding from what it described as a "prediction-market-based sports gambling platform in contravention of state and tribal gaming regulations," and said it would expand support for the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling and the Oklahoma Association on Problem and Compulsive Gambling & Gaming.

Leadership changes and internal departures

Leadership turnover at NCPG has intensified scrutiny of the organisation. Executive director Heather Maurer resigned after starting the role on 7 January and serving less than a year. Director of programs Jaime Costello also resigned and later attributed her departure to "workplace culture and my own values," while saying she was not taking a public side on the Kalshi donation.

NCPG insists there is no public evidence directly linking every personnel change to the Kalshi relationship. Huble said the organisation values member perspectives and takes concerns seriously while continuing to focus on work that mitigates gambling-related harm.

What this means for operators, platforms and regulators

The episode highlights tensions that arise when a nonprofit focused on harm prevention accepts funding from a market operator whose product the nonprofit characterises as gambling. For platforms and regulators the immediate policy questions are operational: which safeguards should be mandatory, how to make self-exclusion cross-platform, what age-verification standards are acceptable, and how to ensure clear risk disclosures and direct access to help.

NCPG and Kalshi both signal willingness to continue dialogue. Huble described NCPG’s neutrality as enabling collaboration with stakeholders that do not agree on every issue, particularly around shared priorities such as safeguards and consumer education. Kalshi says it will continue to promote its responsible-trading measures while disputing the fundamental characterisation of its products.

Industry context and next steps

The controversy also places prediction markets squarely within broader regulatory debates over event contracts and derivatives. NCPG’s April CFTC comment and its September statement make clear it will press for consumer protections in any future rulemaking. Regulators and member organisations that have left NCPG demonstrate the reputational risks nonprofits face when industry funding touches contested product lines.

Operators, platform vendors and regulators should expect continued scrutiny, further public comments around rule proposals for event contracts, and close attention to helpline data as a concrete indicator of consumer harm.

"NCPG maintains a strong firewall between its donors and its work," Cait Huble said, describing the organisation's separation between funding and policy.

"NCPG’s position has not changed," Huble added, referencing the April public comment to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.