Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter was given a lifetime ban by the NBA for breaching betting rules.
An NBA investigation found the 24-year-old disclosed confidential information about his fitness to sports bettors and limited his participation in games for betting purposes.
Porter also bet on NBA games using a friend’s online account.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Porter’s “blatant violations” warranted the “most severe punishment”.
“There is nothing more important than protecting the integrity of NBA competition for our fans, our teams and everyone associated with our sport,” said Silver. “Which is why Jontay Porter’s blatant violations of our gaming rules are being met with the most severe punishment.”
The investigation found that Porter disclosed information about his fitness to someone he knew to be a sports bettor before a game against Sacramento Kings in March. Porter then claimed to be ill and only played for three minutes.
Another associate of Porter had placed an $80,000 (£64,000) bet that he would under-perform in that game. But because of Porter’s actions and suspicious betting activity the wager, which would have paid out $1.1m (£880,000), was frozen and not settled.
It was also found that Porter bet $54,000 on 13 NBA games using a friend’s online account between January and March 2024. None of the games were ones Porter played in.
NBA players are forbidden from betting on NBA games under league rules.
“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,” added Silver.
The NBA said the investigation remains open and may result in further findings.
By Agencies
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