NCPG Executive Director Search Opens After Heather Maurer Resignation Linked to Kalshi Partnership
NCPG opened its search for a new executive director after Heather Maurer resigned less than a year into the role. The move follows membership losses from Michigan, Nevada, Ohio and Washington tied to the group’s $2 million Kalshi partnership and related legal disputes. Leadership affirmed uninterrupted harm-reduction efforts.
SCCG Take — This resignation exposes the acute tensions for nonprofits balancing new funding sources against affiliate and regulator trust in contested product categories.
The National Council on Problem Gambling has launched a search for a new executive director after Heather Maurer resigned less than a year after taking the leadership role. Maurer joined the NCPG in January 2026 as successor to Keith Whyte, who left after decades in the position and later joined FanDuel as a responsible gaming strategic adviser. She will remain through October 16 to assist with the transition.
The exit coincides with sustained criticism and membership losses connected to the NCPG’s partnership with prediction market operator Kalshi.
Kalshi Partnership Triggers Membership Departures and Regulatory Questions
The NCPG announced the Kalshi partnership in May, including a $2 million commitment over two years for a trader health and safety initiative. Kalshi became the first member of a new Financial Services and Trading category and joined the Leadership Circle at the platinum level. The arrangement drew criticism from regulators, responsible gambling groups, and existing members, according to World Casino News.
Affiliated organizations from Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, and Washington ended their memberships. Michigan and Nevada secured injunctions restricting certain Kalshi sports-related contracts. Ohio imposed a $5 million penalty on the company for illegal gambling activity. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission has discussed whether continued NCPG membership aligns with its values.
Derek Longmeier, NCPG Board of Directors president, stated that operations would continue without disruption. Longmeier said, “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.” The NCPG has maintained that its role is not to determine the legal status of prediction markets. Longmeier emphasized, “NCPG exists not to litigate whether prediction markets or other emerging activities meet a legal definition of gambling, but to prevent and reduce gambling-related harm wherever it occurs.”
Further Exits Compound Leadership and Operational Pressures
Maurer’s resignation follows the departure of NCPG Director of Programs Jaime Costello. Costello wrote in a LinkedIn post, “I made this decision because, over the past year, the environment shifted in ways I could no longer reconcile with how I believe this work should be done.”
In 2025 the NCPG lost the right to operate the national 1-800-GAMBLER helpline after a licensing dispute with the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey. It then launched the 1-800-MY-RESET service, now promoted as the national problem gambling helpline. These transitions occur as the organization stresses that membership and funding do not constitute endorsement of any business model or legal position while acknowledging that prediction markets expose users to harms similar to traditional gambling products.
Reporting: World Casino News
Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.
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