Ohio Snubs NCPG as Prediction Markets Resentment Festers

The Ohio Casino Control Commission has become the latest to pull the plug on the National Council on Problem Gambling, after the latter accepted a donation from Kalshi, one of the leading prediction market platforms in the country. OCCC Becomes Latest to Take Issue with the NCPG This comes at a fraught time for prediction markets, as gaming regulators such as the OCCC have openly stated their opposition to the sector, arguing that it offers gambling-adjacent products but fails to muster the prerequisite state licenses. Kalshi, on the other hand, has rebuffed this and said that its event contracts are regulated under the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). For its part, the NCPG has already said that accepting a donation from Kalshi to spearhead responsible gambling research was not the same as endorsing the product or company. Regardless, Ohio now joins Michigan and Nevada in severing ties with the organization, while Massachusetts has said it would stay – but a renewal between the MGCB and the NCPG will be a “different conversation.” OCCC Executive Director Andromeda Morrison previously announced the exit in June, sending a letter to the NCPG. “I regret this action is necessary but trust you will understand the Commission’s need to ensure that it is not associated with organizations that are affiliated with companies engaged in illegal gambling in Ohio,” the letter read. The OCCC further argues that the argument put forward by the NCPG is not good enough, i.e. that the organization is not endorsing Kalshi by accepting its donation. MGCB, NGCB and MGC All Take Issue with the NCPG “Instead, it seeks to legitimize an illegal sportsbook operating in Ohio and undercut the Commission’s efforts to eliminate this source of unlicensed gambling. At a minimum, it creates consumer confusion as to whether this prediction market platform carries the same protection as licensed sportsbooks. It does not.” Similarly, criticism was put forward by the MGCB and NGCB, with the two organizations speaking of misalignment between what they and the NCPG sought to achieve. Another issue was the fact that while Kalshi argues that it is not a gambling entity, it is now supporting advancement in responsible gambling research, which, according to critics, is inconsistent with its own logic. The MGC has similarly reminded the NCPG that a time may come when the ties between the two organizations are severed, as the regulator seeks to stand for its values.