Problem gambling council chief resigns after Kalshi donation controversy

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...