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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
In the U.S., a scandal has erupted around Kalshi — a platform that lets users bet on the outcomes of a wide range of events. The company decided to donate 2 million dollars to the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) — the largest U.S. nonprofit organization dealing with gambling addiction. But instead of gratitude, the donation sparked a crisis within the organization.
After the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal ban on sports betting in 2018, gambling in the country began to spread rapidly. Mobile apps made betting available virtually anytime and anywhere, and advertising constantly nudges people to risk their money. Prediction platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket gave this trend a new boost. On them, users can enter contracts tied to the outcomes of sporting, political, economic, and other events.
As Barron's reports, NCPG executive director Heather Maurer announced the forthcoming Kalshi donation at a closed board meeting. Attendees were asked to sign a nondisclosure agreement.
The 2-million-dollar amount was set to be the second-largest donation in the organization's history. But an obvious question arose: can an organization charged with protecting people from gambling addiction accept large sums from a company whose business model is built on gambling addiction?
Someone even compared the situation to funding an organization that fights sexual abuse of minors by Jeffrey Epstein.
There were, of course, insinuations that Kalshi was spending money so activists would go after its competitor — Polymarket.
After the scandal, members and donors began leaving the organization, including representatives of government gambling regulators. In the end, Maurer stepped down. But the stain remained.
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