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Problem gambling council chief resigns after Kalshi donation controversy
Heather Maurer exits the National Council on Problem Gambling after a $2 million deal with the prediction market drew backlash from board members and state allies
The head of America’s largest gambling addiction nonprofit has stepped down. The reason is a $2 million check from a company that lets people bet on real-world events.
Heather Maurer resigned as executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) on September 26, 2026, according to a Barron’s report cited by Fortune. Her exit follows months of internal turmoil over the organization’s decision to accept funding from prediction market platform Kalshi.
She had held the job for less than a year.
A deal made first, explained later
Maurer took over the NCPG in January. According to Barron’s, she finalized the Kalshi agreement without first getting approval from the board.
Board directors were required to sign nondisclosure agreements before learning about the donation, which was then revealed at an April conference. Barron’s described those NDAs as unprecedented for the organization.
The NCPG publicly announced the $2 million funding agreement in May 2026. It was framed as support for a health and safety initiative.
The arrangement also created something new. Kalshi became the first Platinum member of a freshly minted Financial Services & Trading membership category within the council.
The questions directors asked
When directors pressed Maurer on what the money would actually do, the answers reportedly fell short. Board members asked whether Kalshi had committed to funding safety guardrails or promoting addiction helplines.
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According to Barron’s, Maurer acknowledged that it had not.
The fallout spread beyond the boardroom. State-level organizations that have traditionally worked alongside the NCPG began pulling their support.
Among them were the Michigan Gaming Control Board and the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling.
The council’s position on prediction markets
NCPG president Nathan Smith Longmeier has tried to draw a line between the funding and any endorsement. He stated that the organization takes a neutral position on whether prediction markets are legal.
He also said the council remains committed to preventing gambling-related harm.
Kalshi operates event contracts that allow users to trade on outcomes of various events, positioning itself within the broader financial market framework. However, state gaming authorities have contested this classification, particularly regarding sports-related contracts.
What this means
For the NCPG, the immediate challenge is rebuilding trust. Leadership turnover after less than a year adds another layer of instability.
The governance questions may prove stickier than the money itself. The reported NDA requirement cuts directly against baseline expectations for board approval and transparency at nonprofits.
What to watch next: who the NCPG names as its next leader, whether the council revisits the Kalshi agreement or the Financial Services & Trading category, and whether more state organizations follow Michigan and Nevada out the door.