NBA, union signal support for tighter limits on player prop bets
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The National Basketball Association and the National Basketball Players Association said this week they favor stricter controls on certain player-specific wagers, citing the need to safeguard competitive integrity and curb harassment directed at athletes.
“Protecting the integrity of our game is paramount, and we believe reasonable limitations on certain prop bets should be given due consideration,” an NBA spokesperson told ESPN. “Any approach should aim to reduce the risk of performance manipulation while ensuring that fans who wish to place prop bets can continue to do so via legal, regulated markets.”
The conversation gained urgency after former Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter was permanently banned in April 2024. Commissioner Adam Silver ruled that Porter intentionally limited his playing time in two games so associates could cash in on “under” bets tied to his statistics. Porter pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges in July, admitting he took himself out of those contests during the 2023-24 season.
Following Porter’s suspension, the league asked its sportsbook partners to stop offering “under” wagers on player props involving athletes with two-way contracts—the type of deal Porter held at the time. League officials have since indicated that broader restrictions may be forthcoming.
Porter is one of three NBA players linked to an ongoing federal gambling investigation. Terry Rozier and Malik Beasley have also been referenced in the probe, though neither has been charged.
The NBPA characterized Porter’s case as an anomaly but said its members face growing abuse from disgruntled bettors. “Players are concerned that prop bets have become an increasingly alarming source of player harassment, both online and in person,” a union spokesperson said. “If tighter regulations can help minimize that abuse, then we support taking a closer look at them.”
State regulators are already moving. In Ohio, Governor Mike DeWine has urged a ban on microbets—wagers on individual in-game events—after two Cleveland Guardians pitchers were placed on leave amid a Major League Baseball investigation into suspicious bets on single pitches. New Jersey Assembly member Dan Hutchison introduced similar legislation aimed at eliminating microbets from the state’s sportsbooks, telling ESPN, “We’re going to corrupt our youth as well as corrupt the integrity of the sport.”
No timeline has been announced for potential NBA policy changes, but both the league and the players’ union said they will continue to evaluate additional safeguards as legal sports wagering expands nationwide.
Source: Hoops Wire
