NCPG Launches Search for New Executive Director After Heather Maurer Resignation Tied to Kalshi Partnership Disputes

The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) has launched a search for a new executive director after Heather Maurer resigned less than a year after assuming the role. Maurer will remain through October 16 to assist with the transition. Her exit follows months of criticism over the NCPG’s partnership with prediction market operator Kalshi, as reported by World Casino News.

Derek Longmeier, president of the NCPG Board of Directors, stated that operations would continue without disruption. He noted the need for the NCPG’s work has never been greater.

Kalshi Partnership Triggers Membership Withdrawals

The NCPG announced the partnership in May, featuring a $2 million commitment over two years to support a trader health and safety initiative. Kalshi became the first member of a newly created Financial Services & Trading category and joined the Leadership Circle at the platinum level.

The arrangement drew criticism from regulators, responsible gambling groups, and existing members. Affiliates from Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, and Washington subsequently ended their memberships. Ohio regulators had imposed a $5 million penalty against Kalshi for illegal gambling activity. Jurisdictions including Michigan and Nevada have secured injunctions on certain Kalshi contracts.

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.” The organization added that prediction markets “can expose consumers to many of the same risks and harms associated with traditional gambling.”

Additional Exits Compound Organizational 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. Leaving is how I stay true to the reasons I got into it: doing good, building something alongside people I trust, and ending the day knowing I contributed to something that matters.”

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 launched 1-800-MY-RESET as its national problem gambling helpline. Maurer had succeeded Keith Whyte, who served for decades before joining FanDuel as a responsible gaming strategic adviser.

Reporting: World Casino News

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