The NBA announced that Jontay Porter, a center who signed a two-way contract with the Toronto Raptors, has been permanently banned from the league after an investigation found he was involved in a gambling scheme, which included him placing a bet on the Raptors.
The league alleged that Porter provided confidential information to sports bettors, limited his own participation in one or more games for betting purposes, and bet on NBA games. The NBA claimed Porter disclosed confidential information about his own health status prior to the Raptors' March 20 game to an individual he knew to be an NBA bettor. The league said the bettor placed an $80,000 bet that he would underperform March 20, which ended up having an over $1 million payout.
The league said that Porter claimed that he was feeling ill, which caused him to only play three minutes that night. The NBA said that due to "unusual betting activity," the payout was not given.
The league said the unusual gambling activity involving Porter was brought to the NBA's attention following the March 20 game.
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The league also said that Porter placed 13 bets involving the NBA using an "associate's online betting account." None of the bets involved games Porter played in, but one of the bets did involve the Raptors. The league said Porter made $54,094 in bets and after $76,059 of winnings, he netted $21,965.
"There is nothing more important than protecting the integrity of NBA competition for our fans, our teams and everyone associated with our sport, which is why Jontay Porter's blatant violations of our gaming rules are being met with the most severe punishment," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. "While legal sports betting creates transparency that helps identify suspicious or abnormal activity, this matter also raises important issues about the sufficiency of the regulatory framework currently in place, including the types of bets offered on our games and players. Working closely with all relevant stakeholders across the industry, we will continue to work diligently to safeguard our league and game."
Porter's suspension comes as sports betting becomes more prevalent in the U.S. According to the American Gaming Association, there was a 32.1% increase in sports betting revenue in the first two months of the year compared to 2023.
