Share 
The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) has withdrawn from the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), citing the nonprofit’s decision to accept prediction market platform Kalshi as a member.
MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams outlined the decision in a July 1 letter to NCPG Executive Director Heather Maurer. Kalshi is fighting lawsuits from multiple state regulators, including Michigan’s, over its right to offer sports-related event contracts.
Williams wrote that the NCPG’s partnership with Kalshi “directly undermines state enforcement actions and risks weakening the positions of state regulatory bodies nationwide.”
“After considering this matter, I have concluded that continuing our membership in NCPG is inconsistent with the MGCB’s mission, statutory responsibilities, and its commitment to responsible gaming and to protecting the public from the risks of problem gambling in Michigan,” Williams wrote.
TRO against Kalshi sets the stage
The withdrawal comes days after Michigan won a legal victory against Kalshi.
On June 29, Ingham County Circuit Judge Rosemarie Aquilina granted a temporary restraining order barring Kalshi from offering or advertising sports event contracts in Michigan, according to a June 30 MGCB press release.
The order, secured by Attorney General Dana Nessel‘s office, requires Kalshi to use state-approved geolocation technology to block Michigan users and remains in effect through July 13. Noncompliance carries a fine of $120,000 per day.
“Kalshi is targeting Michigan’s most vulnerable residents with sports betting dressed up as investing — and without intervention, the harm will keep getting worse,” Williams said in the release.
He added that licensed sportsbooks must verify bettors are at least 21, offer responsible-gaming tools and protect patron funds, while Kalshi has “refused to play by the same rules.”
Kalshi spokesperson Elisabeth Diana told WCMU Public Media the company disagrees with the ruling and plans to fight it in court, arguing Kalshi falls under exclusive federal jurisdiction. “In the meantime, we’re implementing restrictions,” she said.
How Kalshi joined the NCPG
The NCPG added Kalshi in May as the first member of its newly created Financial Trading & Services category. In exchange, Kalshi pledged $2 million over two years to fund the group’s Financial Trader Health and Safety Initiative, which the NCPG says will expand education about responsible trading on fast-evolving platforms.
The NCPG has defended the arrangement in multiple statements, including one titled “Membership and Donations Do Not Equal Endorsement.” The organization said it “maintains a clear separation between funding and influence” and that donations do not grant members authority over its governance, policy positions or research priorities.
Why the MGCB says partnership misleads the public
Williams argued that Kalshi’s effort to frame sports contracts as “investment” or “insurance” products undermines a core message of responsible gaming: that gambling is for entertainment only.
He also said the NCPG partnership creates public confusion by implying Kalshi meets the same consumer-protection standards as licensed operators, which he said is not the case.
Michigan ends all NCPG involvement
The MGCB has asked the NCPG to remove all references to its membership immediately. Michigan employees will no longer serve on NCPG boards or committees or attend NCPG events, including the group’s annual conference. The state has also canceled its paid sponsorship of the conference, scheduled for late July.
“I regret that this action is necessary but trust you understand the MGCB’s need to ensure that it is not associated with organizations that are affiliated with companies engaged in illegal gambling,” Williams wrote, according to Legal Sports Report news.
