Lynnae Williams Journalist
Lynnae is a journalist covering the intersection of technology, culture, and gambling. She has more than five years of experience as a writer and editor, with bylines at SlashGear and MakeUseOf. On the iGaming side,...
Read Full BioThe National Council on Problem Gambling’s (NCPG) Board of Directors passed a resolution on February 9, calling on prediction markets to promote the National Problem Gambling Helpline, arguing that event contract trading is similar to other types of betting and poses the same risks for consumers.
In the resolution, the nonprofit organization urged “all Prediction Market Operators serving U.S. consumers” to add “clear, prominent, and ongoing promotion” of the helpline number 1-800-MY-RESET across both “marketing and on-platform user experience.”
The organization said prediction market operators should display the messaging “in a manner that is comparable to practices in regulated mobile sports betting.”
The NCPG says the helpline offers “nationwide free, confidential, and 24/7 support and resources” for people experiencing gambling-related harm. The group also said it maintains a neutral stance on legalized gambling.
NCPG Wants Messaging to Match Regulated Sports Betting Standards
The NCPG’s call for action comes as prediction markets are witnessing rapid growth in the United States. In just the past year, major platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket have expanded their reach through sports-event contracts in states where sports betting is still illegal.
At the same time, traditional sportsbooks, including DraftKings and FanDuel, have launched their own prediction markets to capture a share of the market. While prediction markets are regulated at the federal level by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), rather than gaming commissions, the NCPG argues that the risk to consumers is the same.
“Buying and selling of futures contracts via prediction markets carries substantially similar levels of risk to the consumer as traditional sports betting, including risks associated with chasing losses, impulsive behavior, financial harm, and the development or escalation of gambling-related harm,” the NCPG writes in the resolution.
The NCPG is pushing for these platforms to adopt a “public health best practice” by taking “meaningful, visible steps to reduce harm.” One of the organization’s main concerns is that users won’t view trading event contracts on a prediction market as gambling. As a result, the group says they’re “less likely to demonstrate responsible gambling behavior or seek support for a gambling problem.”
The resolution follows the NCPG’s recent adoption of 1-800-MY-RESET as the National Problem Gambling Helpline number, which went live in January 2026. The timing also comes as prediction markets are facing a variety of legal challenges in states like Nevada and Massachusetts, where regulators argue they are operating as unlicensed gambling platforms.
