The Nevada Council on Problem Gambling has officially decided to end its affiliation with the National Council on Problem Gambling. This decision follows a prolonged dispute over the national organization’s partnership with Kalshi, a prediction market platform currently involved in legal battles with multiple states including Nevada.
Executive Director Trey Delap cited a fundamental disconnect in mission and public health strategy. The Nevada group argues that the national organization’s acceptance of a two-year investment from Kalshi creates public confusion and compromises neutrality. Concerns center on the platform’s accessibility to 18-year-olds and the branding of gambling activity as financial trading, which the Nevada Council believes masks the actual risks of harm.
This move by the Nevada Council is not an isolated event. State regulators and other gambling support organizations, including the Evergreen Council in Washington and the Michigan Gaming Control Board, have also withdrawn support or raised formal objections regarding the partnership. The primary concern is that rapid innovation in gambling platforms is outpacing existing public health infrastructure and consumer protections.
Delap emphasized that the decision rests on the belief that affiliation implies endorsement. By maintaining ties, the Nevada Council felt it would lend its credibility to a platform that operates in opposition to state-level consumer protections and age requirements. The Nevada group now intends to focus on building a response framework that addresses these modern gambling risks directly rather than staying tied to a national body that supports current industry trends.
As states continue to litigate the authority of federal regulators over these platforms, the divide within the problem gambling community appears to be widening. The Nevada Council plans to move forward independently to ensure that their prevention and treatment efforts remain focused on public health rather than industry-aligned initiatives.