The NBA has severely punished Jontay Porter of the Toronto Raptors, imposing a lifetime ban for violating the league’s gambling policy. The decision, announced on Wednesday, follows an investigation that revealed Porter’s deliberate attempts to manipulate the outcome of games for personal gain.
The NBA released a statement Wednesday announcing its ruling.
“A league investigation found that Porter violated league rules by disclosing confidential information to sports bettors, limiting his own participation in one or more games for betting purposes, and betting on NBA games,” the statement states.
The following has been released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/h2TIkaE7xs
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 17, 2024
What is Porter Guilty of?
Specifically, Porter was found to have intentionally limited his participation in a game against the Sacramento Kings on March 20 to influence bets on his performance. Additionally, Porter disclosed confidential health information to an individual known as an NBA bettor before the game.
Raptors' Jontay Porter has received a lifetime ban from the NBA for violating league's gaming rules. pic.twitter.com/QHDiGHnPYG
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 17, 2024
Further investigation uncovered that Porter had placed multiple bets on NBA games using someone else’s account while traveling with the Raptors and their G League team from January through March 2024. These bets totaled over $54,000, resulting in winnings exceeding $21,000.
While none of the bets involved games in which Porter played, he did bet on the Raptors to lose as part of three unsuccessful parlay bets. This significant violation of NBA rules has led to Porter’s lifetime ban from the league, marking a stark and consequential consequence for his actions.
Since the NBA commenced its investigation into Jontay Porter’s betting irregularities on March 25, the 24-year-old has been absent from the court. The Toronto Raptors decided to remove him from the lineup before their game against the Brooklyn Nets that evening, and he has not returned to action since.
Gambling Issues in Professional Sports is on the Rise
Legal sports gambling has grown in the U.S., leading to increased incidents involving professional athletes betting on sports. Over the past two years, the NFL has suspended several players for gambling-related issues, although outright bans are uncommon.
Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, is facing charges of bank fraud. He is accused of embezzling over $16 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers star to fuel his illicit sports betting activities. Prosecutors allege that Mizuhara diverted funds from Ohtani’s bank account, which he had direct access to, to finance his extensive sports gambling habit, which is illegal in California.
According to the complaint filed today. Ippei Mizuhara wagered $325.1 million and lost $40.7 million over 25 months.
That's a -12.52% edge on his wagers.
To put that in perspective. The states of Delaware, Montana, and South Dakota with a combined population of 3.05 million…
— Captain Jack Andrews (@capjack2000) April 11, 2024
According to a criminal complaint filed in April, Mizuhara purportedly lost over $40 million through approximately 19,000 individual bets between December 2021 and January 2024. The case is being investigated jointly by the Internal Revenue Service’s criminal division, the Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
Jontay Porter’s lifetime ban from the NBA now places him in the company of former MLB player Pete Rose, who was banned for gambling on baseball.
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