NCPG executive director search begins after Maurer resigns
The U.S. National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) is searching for a new executive director after Heather Maurer resigned, making it the third person the organization has sought to lead it in less than two years.
The news first surfaced on Friday, September 25, when Brian Pempus, editor of GamblingHarm.org, reported that the NCPG might be looking to replace Maurer. The nonprofit’s board later confirmed that she had resigned.
Maurer joined the NCPG in January 2026, succeeding Keith Whyte, who had led the organization for two decades before taking a job with FanDuel. Whyte is now the operator’s responsible gaming strategic adviser. Maurer was hired after what the NCPG described as a “highly competitive search.” Before that, she spent nearly six years as chief executive of the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health and had earlier served as executive director of the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education. According to her LinkedIn profile, she had no gaming industry experience before taking the post.
Derek Longmeier, president of the NCPG Board of Directors, said the organization’s work would continue while the search is under way.
“With the dedicated commitment and depth of experience of the NCPG staff, we assure all of our advocacy, programs, and services will carry on seamlessly during the search process,” Longmeier said.
Prediction market membership category drew opposition
Maurer’s tenure overlapped with a dispute over prediction markets. In May, the NCPG announced a new membership category for the sector, and it accepted a $2 million contribution to set up the Financial Services & Trading category and launch the Financial Trader Health and Safety Initiative. According to GamblingNews.com, the funding came from prediction market platform Kalshi and was earmarked for research into responsible gambling.
The legal gambling industry strongly opposed the NCPG’s association with prediction markets, which critics say amount to illegal gambling. The Michigan Gaming Control Board, the Ohio Casino Control Commission and the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling severed ties with the council. Numerous other state gaming regulators and gaming interests have said they may not renew their memberships when they fall due. The NCPG’s 2026 annual conference, held in Nashville in July, was subdued.
Other departures have been reported. Jaime Costello, the NCPG’s former director of programs, resigned and said on LinkedIn that her exit was unrelated to the Kalshi donation. Richard Schuetz, a former Las Vegas casino executive, said he learned he was no longer on the council’s Board of Advisors without being notified.
NCPG continues to defend the category
It is unclear whether the prediction market controversy prompted Maurer’s exit. The NCPG has continued to defend the membership category. Last week, Longmeier said prediction markets, whether or not they are considered gambling, expose consumers to “many of the same risks and harms associated with traditional gambling,” and that it is the NCPG’s duty to “prevent and reduce gambling-related harm wherever it occurs.”
