Jontay Porter is no longer allowed to play in the NBA.
The league announced a lifetime ban for the Toronto Raptors forward on Wednesday after an investigation found that Porter violated league rules surrounding sports betting.
The following has been released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/h2TIkaE7xs
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 17, 2024
According to the league's official release, Porter bet on NBA games, disclosed confidential information to sports bettors and manipulated his participation in one or more games to aid an associate’s wager. Adam Silver did not mince his words.
There is nothing more important than protecting the integrity of NBA competition for our fans, our teams, and everyone associated with the sport, which is why Jontay Porter’s blatant violations of our gaming rules are being met with the most severe punishment.
The NBA outlined several specific violations, including wagering on at least 13 league games using an “associate’s” account. The bet size ranged from $15 to $22,000 and totaled more than $54,000 from January through March of this year.
Porter, who was on a two-way contract with the Raptors, did not bet on any games he played in, according to the league, but he did pull himself out of a contest this season after becoming ill. The investigation found that an associate of Porter’s wagered $80,000 that he would underperform his prop markets.
Porter, who was on a two-way contract and spent time on Toronto’s G League affiliate this season, averaged 4.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game in 26 contests this season. He didn’t play another game after March 22. News of the NBA’s investigation leaked on March 25.
His NBA career ends after just two seasons and 37 total games in which he averaged 3.2 points per contest.
Betting on basketball
Porter did not bet on any games he played in, according to the league.
However, the investigation found that Porter wagered on at least 13 league games using an associate’s account. The bet size ranged from $15 to $22,000 and totaled more than $54,000 from January through March of this year.
The winnings surpassed $76,000 resulting in $21,965 in earnings for the account.
The investigation found that Porter bet against the Raptors in losing multi-leg parlays and that he passed along health information to a known bettor before the March 20 game.
Suspicious betting alerts
Porter did pull himself out of a contest against the Sacramento Kings on March 20 after becoming ill. A different known bettor and associate of Porter’s wagered $80,000 that he would underperform his prop markets that night.
The bet, which would’ve paid $1.1 million, was frozen and not paid out. The NBA was alerted to suspicious activity by the sportsbook operator and watchdog firm U.S. Integrity.
“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,” Silver said. “Working closely with all relevant stakeholders across the industry, we will continue to work diligently to safeguard our league and game.”
Surprising outcome
Toronto Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri told reporters shortly after the NBA released its findings that the team cooperated with the league’s investigation.
“My first reaction was, obviously, surprise,” Ujiri said.
The NBA Players Association released a statement saying that it will provide Porter with resources and that he and all players should “be afforded appropriate due process and opportunity to answer” charges against them.
The NBAPA will also continue to provide players with training on how to navigate the sports betting landscape.
“The NBPA exists to protect and support the interests of all 450 NBA players – both as individual players and as a collective,” the statement read. “Adherence to league gambling policies is paramount to maintaining the integrity of our athletes and protecting the future of the sport.”
Reviewing the matter
While Porter’s issues with the NBA are complete, the Alcohol and Gambling Commission of Ontario announced Wednesday that its Investigation and Enforcement Bureau of the Ontario Provincial Police is still looking into the situation.
The AGCO praised the NBA for its “integrity safeguards and oversight,” and the regulatory gaming body said it will continue to ensure that all sports betting operators offer events that are “effectively supervised.”
“This serious case of alleged insider betting and match-fixing was identified because regulated markets, like Ontario’s, require online gaming companies and independent integrity monitors to actively monitor and report suspicious betting, which then allows sports leagues, regulators, and law enforcement to respond appropriately,” the AGCO released in a statement. “At a minimum, the sport governing body must have - and enforce - codes of conduct that prohibit betting by insiders.”
