Massachusetts Gaming Commission Maintains NCPG Membership After Kalshi Donation Prompts Other States to Exit

Massachusetts regulators have chosen to remain with the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) for now. This sets the state apart from Michigan, Ohio, and Nevada, which withdrew their memberships after the NCPG accepted a controversial donation from prediction market platform Kalshi.

Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) Chairman Jordan Maynard said the membership would likely face renewed discussion at renewal time. “When it comes up for renewal, I’m sure we’ll have another conversation,” Maynard said. The five-member commission expressed support for the NCPG’s mission while acknowledging the concerns raised by the donation.

The MGC holds a Silver-level organizational membership at a cost of $2,500 for fiscal-year 2026. Mark Vander Linden, the MGC’s director of research and responsible gaming, recommended continued membership after discussions with NCPG officials. The commission voted unanimously to follow that recommendation, though several members voiced reservations.

Details of the Kalshi Donation and State Responses

In May, the NCPG announced a $2 million donation from Kalshi. The funds support a new “trader health and safety” initiative and a “Financial Services and Trading” membership category. The Michigan Gaming Control Board withdrew, citing Kalshi’s litigation with Michigan and other states over unlicensed sports event contracts. The Ohio Casino Control Commission and Nevada Council on Problem Gambling took similar steps.

In Massachusetts, a judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking Kalshi from offering sports-event wagers. Kalshi paused enforcement of that order pending appeal to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. Vander Linden briefed the MGC on conversations with Heather Maurer, NCPG executive director, and Cole Wogoman, NCPG director of policy and partnerships. Maurer and Wogoman told Vander Linden that “The buying and selling of event-based futures contracts can carry risks similar to traditional gambling, including impulsive behavior, financial harm, and the potential for escalating gambling-related issues.” The NCPG executives said “NCPG remains neutral on the legality of gambling, wagering, and prediction markets. This initiative is not an endorsement of any products or platform.”

Reservations Expressed by MGC Commissioners

Commissioner Paul Brodeur said the core issue is how prediction markets are described and marketed while operating without regulation. “It’s gambling. It could be, I suspect, welcomed into the marketplace if they were another sports betting operator and approached their business that way,” Brodeur said. Commissioner Eileen O’Brien agreed Kalshi occupies a gray area overlapping with regulated activities. O’Brien stated there “may come a time sooner, rather than later, where we need to quit.”

Both commissioners urged continued monitoring of developments with Kalshi and the NCPG partnership. The MGC’s current stance leaves open the possibility of future withdrawal once the legal and regulatory picture clarifies.

Reporting: CDC Gaming

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