Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter has been slapped with a lifetime ban by the NBA, following an investigation that uncovered his involvement in sports betting. Porter was found to have provided confidential information to bettors, limited his participation in games for gambling purposes, and placed bets on NBA games. The league alleges that Porter shared information about his health status with a bettor ahead of a game and subsequently took himself out of the game claiming illness. Porter placed at least 13 bets on NBA games using an associate’s account, with bets totaling $54,094 and net winnings of $21,695.
The NBA’s investigation into Porter remains ongoing, with the possibility of more findings to come. Sports betting has surged in popularity in recent years, with many states legalizing it. Concerns have been raised about the impact of sports betting on professional sports, prompting the NBA to closely monitor the activities of its players. Porter’s case gained attention after a significant amount of irregular betting activity was linked to him, particularly following a game in which he played just minutes due to an eye injury. The under hit for all of Porter’s props during that game, leading to suspicions of foul play.
NCAA President Charlie Baker recently called for a nationwide ban on college prop bets, citing a series of incidents involving collegiate coaches and athletes in illegal betting probes. Last year, over a dozen charges were filed against student-athletes from Iowa State University and University of Iowa for allegedly betting on games in which they played. The charges were later dropped due to concerns about how authorities tracked the betting activity. In another case, the head coach of the University of Alabama baseball team was ousted following unusual betting activity involving their games. The NFL has also cracked down on players violating its gambling policy, with 10 players suspended last year.
Interestingly, the last NBA player to receive a lifetime ban was Jalen Harris in 2021 for violating anti-drug policies, which was later reversed in 2022. Tyreke Evans also received a lifetime ban in 2019 for the same reason but was reinstated in 2022. O.J. Mayo was banned in 2016 for violating the NBA’s substance abuse policy and has not applied for reinstatement. The case of Porter serves as a reminder of the strict consequences in place for NBA players who engage in illegal activities such as sports betting. As sports betting continues to grow, leagues are expected to remain vigilant in monitoring and enforcing their anti-gambling policies to maintain the integrity of the game.
