The Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling, a leading gambling addiction advocacy group in Washington, has left the National Council on Problem Gambling over the Kalshi deal.
According to an eight-page letter obtained by GamblingHarm.org, ECPG withdrew its NCPG membership effective Sept. 17, 2026. Its withdrawal follows similar actions taken by the Michigan Gaming Control Board, the Ohio Casino Control Commission, and the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling. The NCPG has disputed the reasons behind the Nevada group’s departure.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission recently decided not to withdraw from the NCPG, but its chairman said the MGC would consider whether or not to renew its membership.
The departures stem from Kalshi and the NCPG announcing a partnership in May in which the prediction market would invest $2 million over two years. In return, the NCPG created a new membership category for Kalshi that critics say blurs the line between gambling and trading or investing. Kalshi’s sports markets have been banned in several states, including Washington, Michigan, Nevada, and Massachusetts. Other states are seeking to restrict the platform. In its letter to the NCPG, ECPG raised concerns about how the Kalshi deal was brokered.
“Our questions and concerns centered around whether NCPG has a clear ethical framework for gift acceptance and a solid understanding that the [NCPG] board has authority to review and approve donor-related decisions, especially those that may represent a misalignment with the organization’s mission. From what NCPG has shared, it does not appear this was the case with the Kalshi agreement.”
Despite the letter’s contentious content, written by ECPG Board President Dr. Ty W. Lostutter, the NCPG withdrawal still appeared cordial.
“Although our organizations will now follow separate paths, we sincerely wish NCPG and its members well and hope that we will continue to find common ground in the work that has always mattered most: helping individuals and families affected by problem gambling and gambling-related harm,” he wrote to conclude the letter.
ECPG’s withdrawal from NCPG follows its early public criticism of the Kalshi deal.
