NCPG Director Resigns as Kalshi Partnership Under Review

Less than a year after being appointed to the role, Heather Maurer is stepping down as executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG). Heather Maurer to Leave NCPG Executive Director Role in October Maurer’s resignation was confirmed by the NCPG on September 28. She will stay with the organization until October 16 to assist with the leadership transition. Maurer joined the NCPG in January 2026 after being named its incoming executive director in November 2025. She succeeds Keith Whyte, who left the organization in January 2025 after 27 years of service. The NCPG did not say why Maurer is stepping down. The Council has already started looking for a replacement. The board president, Derek Longmeier, said the organization expects its programs, advocacy work, and services to continue during the search. He also highlighted the ongoing need for work to address gambling-related harm. Maurer’s departure follows months of scrutiny over the NCPG’s relationship with prediction market operator Kalshi. In May, Kalshi agreed to pay the council $2 million over two years. The money was to fund an initiative on trader health and safety, including consumer education and awareness of risky behavior. The agreement also spurred the NCPG to create a new Financial Services & Trading membership category. Kalshi was its first member and received a Platinum-level membership. NCPG Faces Stakeholder Rift Over Kalshi Prediction Market Deal The setup quickly drew criticism from some regulators and problem gambling groups. The Michigan Gaming Control Board and Ohio Casino Control Commission left the NCPG after Kalshi’s deal. The Nevada Council on Problem Gambling also split from the national organization. These groups have expressed worries about prediction markets that have contracts tied to sports and other events. Regulators in several states say some of the products look a lot like sports betting and should be subject to state gambling regulations. Kalshi has argued that its contracts are financial instruments, not gambling, and are subject to federal regulation by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The NCPG has tried to refrain from taking a position on the legal status of prediction markets. Instead, it has argued that consumer protection should apply in cases where an activity could give rise to gambling-related risks. In June, the council addressed concerns about Kalshi’s membership, saying its harm-reduction efforts should include new types of participation. It said financial trading and prediction markets, as well as betting, gaming and cryptocurrency, were areas that could present risks to vulnerable consumers. The NCPG’s tie to Kalshi has put the organization at the center of state regulators challenging prediction markets and companies seeking federal recognition of the sector. Maurer is the second senior NCPG employee to leave in September. Jaime Costello, programs director, left earlier this month. The leadership changes come as prediction markets continue to grow across the US and regulatory disputes intensify. The next Executive Director will take over the NCPG as it works to uphold its harm-prevention mission in the face of disagreements among its members and stakeholders.