NBA Bans Exploitable Bets Ahead of New Season Amid Gambling Scandals
The league directs sportsbooks to prohibit certain wagers, including player stat unders and bets on players with limited playing time, in an effort to combat illicit betting activities.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) has instructed its sportsbook partners to ban several types of bets and parlays that have been exploited in recent gambling scandals. This move comes nearly a year after a significant betting scandal impacted the league.
According to ESPN, the NBA issued a memo to partners such as DraftKings and FanDuel, prohibiting bets that include parlays on the same player’s statistics for an ‘Under,’ bets on players expected to play less than 12 minutes per game, and certain “first of” markets like who will win the opening tip or the outcome of a player's initial shot attempt.
Parlay bets focusing on a player’s Under statistics have been central to recent federal cases involving NBA players. Notably, Jontay Porter pleaded guilty in federal court in 2024 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He admitted to intentionally leaving games early to influence bets placed on his Under statistics. Court documents revealed a bettor profited over $1 million from an $80,000 parlay that combined the Under for Porter's assists, rebounds, points, 3-pointers, steals, and blocks in a game where Porter played only three minutes.
Federal prosecutors also alleged a similar scheme involving Terry Rozier, who allegedly left a game after nine minutes in March 2023. Rozier has denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The NBA’s agreements with its partner sportsbooks grant the league the authority to restrict the markets offered by these bookmakers, which reportedly account for over 99% of the U.S. betting market.
These new restrictions join existing prohibitions implemented in prior seasons, which include bets on players on 10-day or two-way contracts, player props related to turnovers, fouls, and missed free throws.
To further enhance its anti-gambling efforts, the NBA has appointed former NFL player and FBI agent Charles Tillman to lead training on sports betting rules for league personnel. The league is also updating its fan code of conduct to better protect players, coaches, and staff from harassment by bettors. Additionally, a new hotline has been established for secure reporting of threats and harassment, and a partnership with Social Project aims to help players manage and remove harassing messages from social media.