Toronto Raptors star Jontay Porter gets lifetime ban from NBA for violating gambling rules

An NBA player has been banned for life for violating gambling rules. Toronto Raptors star Jontay Porter reportedly took part in a gambling scheme that ultimately called into question the integrity of the National Basketball Association’s competition, following an investigation in March.

According to the findings, the 24-year-old bet on NBA contests, in addition to helping gamblers win cash by limiting his minutes during a game. He is also believed to have told confidential information about his health to at least one known bettor.

It is also said that someone Porter knew placed an $80,000 bet predicting that he would "underperform" in the Raptors' game against the Sacramento Kings on March 20. If successful, this bettor stood to win $1.1 million. NBA officials reported that Porter left the game early, citing illness. However, due to "unusual betting activity," the league froze the bet, preventing it from being paid out.

It has also been disclosed that between January and March, while Porter was playing for both the Raptors and their G-League team, he placed "at least 13 bets on NBA games” and he used a friend's online betting account for these wagers and made over $20,000 in profits.

According to the league, three of the bets were multi-game parlay wagers that included one Raptors game, in which he bet Toronto would lose. NBA commissioner Adam Silver said :”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.”

He added: “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, who made his NBA debut in the 2020-21 season, has played in 37 games throughout his career. This season, he started five games for Toronto and averaged 4.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.