According to ESPN, Jontay Porter of the Toronto Raptors has been banned from the league following an investigation that uncovered his disclosure of confidential information to bettors, restricted participation in a game during his tenure with the Raptors, and involvement in betting on NBA games while active in the G League.

The NBA, in a statement confirming Porter’s ban, mentioned that the investigation is ongoing and that information is being shared with federal authorities. ESPN has sought input from the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI regarding the matter.

“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 game rules are being met with the most severe punishment,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said while announcing the ban.

The NBA initiated a probe into Porter towards the end of March following unusual betting patterns on the reserve center’s performance in two Raptors games, where Porter left the games early after minimal playing time.

During the NBA’s inquiry, it was discovered that Porter shared personal health information with a recognized sports bettor prior to a game against the Sacramento Kings on March 20. This led to a $1.1 million same-game parlay bet on Porter’s performance unders, placed by another individual who was privy to this information. Despite Porter exiting the game early due to illness after playing for only three minutes, the bet made through DraftKings was not honored.

The league’s investigation unveiled that Porter made a minimum of 13 wagers on NBA matchups using a friend’s online betting account. These bets varied from $15 to $22,000, amounting to $54,094 in total. The NBA disclosed that the collective winnings from these bets amounted to $76,059, resulting in a net profit of $21,965. None of these wagers were related to games featuring Porter. Several of these bets, including three parlays, did not yield positive results, with one parlay even betting on the Raptors to lose.

Betting platforms observed a significant increase in bets against Porter’s performance metrics ahead of a game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Jan. 26. Porter’s limited playing time in that game, due to eye injury issues from a prior game, resulted in him falling below the sportsbooks’ projected statistics lines with zero points, three rebounds, and one assist.

According to sources, there was a surge in betting on Porter’s performance outcomes in the mentioned games, with some accounts attempting to place unusually large bets. Most of the accounts supporting bets against Porter were concentrated in New Jersey, New York, and Arizona.

The NBA received alerts about the suspicious activities from licensed sportsbooks and a monitoring organization overseeing legal betting markets. U.S. Integrity, a Las Vegas firm collaborating with sportsbooks, leagues, and gaming regulators, was proud to assist the NBA in addressing anomalies related to Porter and emphasized the importance of regulated sports betting.

Adam Silver, the commissioner of the NBA, was the first major sports league executive in the U.S. to push for the legalization and regulation of sports betting. In a 2014 article for the New York Times, he advocated for a federal structure for sports betting. Silver mentioned that while legal betting transparency aids in recognizing irregular activities, additional measures are required to prevent further issues.

“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 added in the release. “Working closely with all relevant stakeholders across the industry we will continue to work diligently to safeguard our league and game.”

The Colorado Division of Gaming recently asked sportsbooks to provide details regarding Porter’s possible betting activity within the state. Referring to state rules, a spokesperson for the Division declined to discuss any ongoing investigations, as reported by ESPN. According to the Action Network, Porter made more than 1,000 bets on his FanDuel account, which was shut down when he joined the Raptors on a two-way deal in December.

By Vincent Quezada

Photo courtesy of Getty Images