Raptors' Jontay Porter Gets Lifetime Ban from NBA for Violating League Betting Rules

Commissioner Adam Silver said Porter's "blatant violations of our gaming rules are being met with the most severe punishment"

• The NBA has banned two-way player Jontay Porter after an investigation revealed he violated the league's betting rules

• Porter allegedly disclosed "confidential information to sports bettors" and limited "his own participation" for "betting purposes"

• Commissioner Adam Silver said the NBA will "continue to work diligently to safeguard our league and game"

Toronto Raptors two-way player Jontay Porter has received a lifetime ban from the NBA, the league announced on April 17.

A statement released by NBA Communications on X (formerly known as Twitter) confirmed the 24-year-old's ban for violating the league's betting rules.

"A league investigation found that Porter violated league rules by disclosing confidential information to sports bettors, limiting his own participation in one or more game for betting purposes, and betting on NBA games," the NBA said.

The investigation pointed to a Raptors game on March 20 in which Porter, whose brother is Denver Nuggets star Michael Porter Jr., reportedly "disclosed confidential information about his own health status to an individual he knew to be an NBA bettor," per the NBA.

The league added that "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 the March 20 game."

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Per the statement, the NBA discovered that Porter, who also played for the Raptor's G League affiliate team Raptors 905, "limited his own game participation to influence the outcome of one or more bets on his performance in at least one Raptors game."

Porter apparently played just three minutes in the March 20 game against the Sacramento Kings, which resulted in a 123-89 loss for Toronto, before "claiming that he fell ill," according to the league, which added: "Due to the unusual betting activity and actions of the player, the $80,000 proposition bet was frozen and was not paid out."

The investigation also found that Porter allegedly "placed at least 13 bets on NBA games using an associate's online betting account" from January through March 2024 while traveling with the Raptors and Raptors 905.

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"These bets ranged in size from $15 to $22,000 for a total of $54,094," the NBA said, per the statement. "The total payout from these bets was $76,059, resulting in net winnings of $21,965. None of the bets involved any game in which Porter plays. Three of the bets were multi-game parlay bets that included one Raptors game, in which Porter bet that the Raptors would lose. All three bets lost."

The NBA was also made aware of the "suspicious bets involving Porter's performance" by "licensed sports betting operators and an organization that monitors legal betting markets."

As of Wednesday', the NBA's investigation "remains open and may result in further findings" regarding Porter. "The NBA has shared and will continue to share information with federal prosecutors about this matter," the league added.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver also released a statement via NBA Communications on Wednesday, explaining why Porter was handed the "most severe punishment" from the league.

“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," Silver said in the 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."

Silver concluded, "Working closely with all relevant stakeholders across the industry, we will continue to work diligently to safeguard our league and game."

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