NCPG takes $2m from prediction markets, rival group forms
Families & Friends of Gamblers names its first board days after NCPG’s executive director resigned.
The hit
The National Council on Problem Gambling has taken a $2m donation from the prediction market industry, according to Casino.org, prompting questions over its independence. A new rival, Families & Friends of Gamblers, announced its first board days after NCPG executive director Heather Maurer resigned.
Why it matters
FFOG is positioning itself as the clean alternative, refusing gambling industry money entirely while NCPG relies on corporate donors including gambling companies, leagues & now prediction markets. For bettors, the split signals a widening fight over who gets to define gambling harm & set policy.
The record
| Donation | $2m from the prediction market industry to NCPG, with such funding flowing since May (Casino.org) |
|---|---|
| Resignation | Heather Maurer, NCPG executive director, resigned days before FFOG’s launch |
| New board | FFOG named its inaugural board on 6 October, chaired by Richard Daynard |
| Policy | FFOG says it will not accept gambling industry contributions or memberships |
| Campaign launch | FFOG’s reform campaign launched in September in Washington DC with Sen. Richard Blumenthal & Rep. Paul Tonko |
What happens next
Watch for NCPG’s response to the independence questions & whether FFOG’s reform campaign gains traction in Washington.
Sources: NCPG Leadership in Turmoil as New Group Emerges
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