By Steve Keating
TORONTO (Reuters) – Toronto Raptors’ Jontay Porter was given a lifetime ban from the National Basketball Association on Wednesday for violating the league’s gambling policy.
An NBA investigation found that Porter, a two-way player recently under contract with the Raptors, limited his own game participation to influence the outcome of one or more bets on his performance in at least one Raptors game.
In a March 20 game, Porter played only three minutes, claiming that he felt ill.
The investigation found that prior to that game Porter disclosed confidential information about his own health status to an individual he knew to be an NBA bettor.
Another individual with whom Porter associated and knew to be an NBA bettor subsequently placed an $80,000 parlay proposition bet with an online sports book, to win $1.1 million, wagering that Porter would underperform in that game.
Due to the unusual betting activity and actions of the player, the $80,000 proposition bet was frozen and was not paid out.
In addition, from January through March 2024, while travelling with the Raptors or Raptors 905, the Raptors’ NBA G League affiliate, Porter placed at least 13 bets on NBA games using an associate’s online betting account, the investigation found. These bets ranged in size from $15 to $22,000, for a total of $54,094.
“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,” said NBA commissioner Adam Silver in a statement.
“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.”
The NBA said the investigation remains open and may result in further findings.
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto. Editing by Toby Davis)
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