The National Council on Problem Gambling has issued a formal resolution calling on prediction market operators to prominently display the National Problem Gambling Helpline™ across their platforms, warning that these financial instruments carry substantially similar risks to traditional sports betting.
The February 9, 2026 board resolution targets the growing prediction market sector, where operators facilitate buying and selling of event-based futures contracts through increasingly accessible online platforms and mobile applications.
Risk Equivalence to Sports Betting
NCPG's analysis identifies prediction markets as carrying comparable consumer risks to regulated gambling products, including potential for chasing losses, impulsive behavior, financial harm, and development of gambling addiction. The organization emphasizes a critical gap – consumers may not recognize prediction market activity as functionally equivalent to gambling, regardless of legal classification.
This perception disconnect creates heightened risk, as users may be less likely to adopt responsible gambling behaviors or seek support when problems develop. The resolution specifically calls out this awareness gap as a public health concern requiring operator intervention.
Helpline Integration Requirements
The resolution demands that prediction market operators serving U.S. consumers integrate clear, prominent, and ongoing promotion of the National Problem Gambling Helpline™ (1-800-MY-RESET) within their marketing materials and platform user experience. The standard should match practices currently required in regulated mobile sports betting markets.
The National Problem Gambling Helpline™ provides nationwide free, confidential, and 24/7 support for individuals experiencing gambling-related harm. Users can access help through multiple channels: calling 1-800-MY-RESET, texting 800GAM, or visiting NCPGambling.org for chat support.
National Problem Gambling Helpline Access
The National Problem Gambling Helpline provides free, confidential, 24/7 support through multiple channels: call 1-800-MY-RESET, text 800GAM, or visit NCPGambling.org for chat support. This comprehensive access system ensures users can seek help through their preferred communication method at any time.
Organizational Position
NCPG, described as the only national nonprofit organization focused on minimizing economic and social costs associated with gambling addiction, maintains neutrality on legalized gambling while advocating for harm reduction measures across gambling-adjacent industries.
The resolution establishes promoting helpline access as "a critical baseline responsibility for any operator offering products that meaningfully resemble gambling activity and may contribute to gambling-related harm."
Regulatory Implications for Emerging Markets
This resolution signals intensifying scrutiny of prediction markets from problem gambling advocates as these platforms expand beyond traditional financial trading into mainstream consumer accessibility. The explicit comparison to sports betting suggests NCPG views current prediction market operations as insufficiently addressing potential gambling-related harms.
For operators in this space, the resolution creates reputational and potential regulatory pressure to adopt sports betting industry standards for responsible gambling measures, even where not legally mandated. The NCPG's new 1-800-MY-RESET helpline timing coincides with increased mainstream adoption of prediction market platforms, suggesting proactive harm reduction measures may become industry expectations regardless of formal regulation.
Compliance Strategy
Prediction market operators should proactively adopt sports betting industry standards for responsible gambling measures, even where not legally mandated. This approach can help mitigate reputational and regulatory pressure while demonstrating commitment to harm reduction as the industry faces intensifying scrutiny.
NCPG's analysis shows prediction markets carry comparable consumer risks including potential for chasing losses, impulsive behavior, financial harm, and gambling addiction development. The organization emphasizes that consumers may not recognize prediction market activity as functionally equivalent to gambling, creating heightened risk.
The resolution demands clear, prominent, and ongoing promotion of the National Problem Gambling Helpline (1-800-MY-RESET) within marketing materials and platform user experience. The standard should match practices currently required in regulated mobile sports betting markets.
The resolution creates reputational and potential regulatory pressure to adopt sports betting industry standards for responsible gambling measures. Proactive harm reduction measures may become industry expectations regardless of formal regulation, especially as mainstream adoption increases.
According to National Council on Problem Gambling.
