Responsible Gambling

Massachusetts Keeps Membership with NCPG Despite Kalshi

September 11, 2026
Samantha Gleeston

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) has chosen to maintain its membership with the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) despite concerns raised by other states over a $2 million donation from prediction market operator Kalshi.

Several state regulators, including those in Michigan, Ohio, and Nevada, recently resigned from the NCPG after the organization accepted Kalshi’s donation. The funds were designated to support a new initiative focused on “trader health and safety” and to establish a “Financial Services and Trading” membership category within the NCPG.

This development is significant for players and bettors because it highlights ongoing regulatory debates about how prediction markets, which allow trading on sports events and other outcomes, fit within gambling laws and responsible gaming frameworks. Kalshi’s operations have faced legal challenges in multiple states. In Massachusetts, a judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking Kalshi from offering sports-event wagers, a ruling currently under appeal at the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.

MGC Chairman Jordan Maynard stated, “When it comes up for renewal, I’m sure we’ll have another conversation,“ signaling that the commission will revisit its membership status in the future. Meanwhile, Mark Vander Linden, the commission’s director of research and responsible gaming, engaged in discussions with NCPG leadership to clarify the scope and intent of the new initiative.

NCPG executives Heather Maurer and Cole Wogoman explained that the Financial Trading Health and Safety Initiative aims to address risks similar to those found in traditional gambling, such as impulsive behavior and financial harm, but within financial trading environments. They emphasized that the NCPG remains neutral on the legality of gambling, wagering, and prediction markets, clarifying, “This initiative is not an endorsement of any products or platform.“

Commissioner Paul Brodeur expressed cautious support for the MGC’s decision, noting that the main concern with prediction markets lies in their unregulated status and marketing approach rather than the product itself. He remarked, “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 suggested that if prediction markets operated under similar regulations as sports betting operators, they might gain broader acceptance.

For players, the MGC’s decision means that Massachusetts continues to support responsible gambling efforts through the NCPG, while maintaining vigilance over emerging forms of wagering like prediction markets. The commission’s ongoing monitoring indicates that future regulatory changes could affect how these markets are accessed and the protections available to consumers.

Players concerned about gambling-related harm should stay informed about regulatory developments. Initiatives like the NCPG’s Financial Trading Health and Safety program may influence future protections and resources aimed at mitigating risks associated with prediction markets.

For more information, see the original report from CDC Gaming. Additional context on prediction market regulation and taxation is available in coverage of Illinois’ bill to remove prediction market tax and commentary on the rise of prediction markets in the US from The Guardian.

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Samantha Gleeston
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