Minnesota state Senator John Marty has urged the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) to end its financial relationship with Kalshi, arguing that the partnership conflicts with the organisation’s mission to address gambling-related harm.
In a July 28 letter to NCPG Executive Director Heather Maurer, Marty questioned the decision to accept Kalshi funding. “No amount of money is worth undermining your mission,” Marty wrote.
Dispute Centers On Kalshi Funding
Marty, a member of Minnesota’s Democratic–Farmer–Labor party, acknowledged the importance of gambling-industry funding to the NCPG. He focused on Kalshi’s status and business model.
The NCPG announced on May 18 that Kalshi would provide $2 million over two years for a “strategic initiative focused on trader health and safety.” Marty argued that Kalshi differs from regulated gambling companies because he considers it an unauthorized and unregulated gambling business.
Marty cited Michigan Gaming Control Board Executive Director Henry Williams, who wrote to Maurer on July 1: “These efforts are part of Kalshi’s broader strategy to remake the gambling industry – by bulldozing countless regulations and the consumer-protection safeguards that Michigan and other states have enacted to protect their residents and uphold the integrity of sports betting.”
The NCPG has declined to take a position on Kalshi’s legality. Maurer said its focus remains reducing gambling-related harm “wherever it occurs.”
NCPG Defends Focus On Consumer Harm
Maurer said the organisation prioritises assistance for people affected by gambling-related problems, including those involved with prediction markets.
“We respect that organizations may reach different conclusions about how best to advance consumer protections, but NCPG remains committed to fulfilling our mission,” Maurer told CDC Gaming.
She said the National Problem Gambling Helpline (1-800-MY-RESET) has already received contacts from people reporting harm linked to prediction markets.
“While legal and regulatory frameworks are debated, individuals and families are experiencing real financial, emotional, and relationship consequences today. Those seeking help shouldn’t have to wait for policy questions to be resolved before support is available.”
Marty also challenged an NCPG announcement describing Kalshi as the largest prediction market in the world and praising its role in developing a safe, legal and regulated platform.
He argued that the description omitted sports betting despite his claim that sports wagering accounts for as much as 85%-90% of Kalshi’s business.
Legal Status Remains Contested
Marty disputed Kalshi’s assertion that it helped legalize prediction markets. “Claiming something is legal doesn’t mean it is legal and certainly does not mean that they legalized it,” Marty wrote. He noted that Kalshi is suing Minnesota, where state law explicitly treats its sports betting activity as illegal, while other states have similar restrictions.
Maurer said the NCPG does not determine whether event contracts legally qualify as gambling. Instead, she said the organisation evaluates their potential risks.
“Our concern is that trading event contracts can carry many of the same behavioral risks associated with gambling,” Maurer said. “For that reason, these emerging products warrant the same public health attention, consumer education, and access to support as other forms of gambling.”
Source:
“Minnesota lawmaker asks NCPG to end ‘unholy alliance’ with Kalshi”, cdcgaming.com, August 4, 2026
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