NCPG Executive Director Latest to Quit Amid Backlash Over Kalshi Deal

Heather Maurer has stepped down as executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling after serving less than a year. Her resignation was confirmed by the council, which said the search for a new leader has already begun, according to SBC Americas.

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Maurer’s exit marks the second major leadership change at the council in less than two years, following the departure of longtime director Keith Whyte in early 2025. It also comes days after Jaime Costello, the council’s Director of Program, announced her resignation over its May deal with prediction market operator Kalshi.

Board president Derek Longmeier assured members and affiliates that the council’s work will continue without interruption.

In his words, “With the dedicated commitment and depth of experience of the NCPG staff, we assure all of our advocacy, programs, and services will carry on seamlessly during the search process.” He added that “the need for NCPG’s work to prevent and reduce gambling-related harm has never been greater,” stressing that partnerships with affiliates and stakeholders remain central to the mission.

States disagree with Kalshi NCPG inclusion

The partnership between Kalshi and the National Council on Problem Gambling was announced in May, with the prediction market operator pledging $2 million over two years. 

Kalshi was elevated to “platinum member” status and added to NCPG’s Leadership Circle, with promises to help build educational tools, promote responsible trading, and expand awareness campaigns. 

But several regulators quickly pushed back. Ohio’s Casino Control Commission confirmed it left the council in June, pointing to ongoing litigation with Kalshi and a pending $5 million fine against the company. Michigan, Nevada, and Washington also withdrew, while Maryland’s Lottery and Gaming Control Agency chose not to renew its membership. 

Illinois officials voiced support for those who cut ties, according to SBC Americas, and Pennsylvania’s Gaming Control Board said it respected the decisions even though it stayed on. 

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The fallout has also been felt internally. Costello, who oversaw the national gambling helpline, resigned last Tuesday, stating on LinkedIn that the environment had shifted in ways she “could no longer reconcile with how I believe this work should be done.”

NCPG continue to maintain focus is on players 

Speaking last Friday, Board President Derek Longmeier made clear that while the council does not take a position on whether prediction markets should be legal, it will not stay neutral on the harm they can cause.

He warned that prediction markets have quickly moved into the mainstream, drawing millions of users, many of them young. “Regardless of how prediction markets are currently legally defined, NCPG believes it is functionally gambling and can expose consumers to many of the same risks and harms associated with traditional gambling,” he said. 

Longmeier added that the speed and scale of exposure is unlike anything seen before, and protections are not keeping pace. He stressed that NCPG’s mission for more than 50 years has been to support individuals and families harmed by gambling, no matter how regulators classify a product. 

To that end, the council intends to push for safeguards such as self‑exclusion tools, age checks, clear risk warnings and direct access to help services. 

On funding concerns, he explained that while NCPG relies on donations from gambling operators and other partners, those contributions never shape its research or advocacy. “Donor engagement does not mean endorsement,” he said, adding that the council welcomes collaboration from all sides, regulators, companies, and treatment experts, as long as the focus stays on protecting players.

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