NBA player Jontay Porter of the Toronto Raptors has received a lifetime ban from the league due to infractions related to gambling regulations.
The NBA delivered a significant blow to Jontay Porter of the Toronto Raptors, issuing him a lifetime ban for breaching the league’s gambling regulations. The NBA disclosed its decision in a statement released on Wednesday (April 17), outlining the reasons behind the ruling.
According to the statement, Porter violated league regulations by sharing confidential information with sports bettors, deliberately restricting his involvement in one or more games for betting purposes, and placing bets on NBA matches.
The NBA’s inquiry revealed that Porter, aged 24, deliberately limited his participation in the Raptors’ March 20 game against the Sacramento Kings to influence the outcome of bets placed on his performance. Additionally, during the Raptors’ game against the Nets, Porter claimed to feel unwell after playing only three minutes.
Furthermore, it was disclosed that prior to the game, Porter divulged confidential health information to “an individual known to be an NBA bettor.” Another individual linked to Porter placed a bet on him performing below par on March 20 as part of an $80,000 parlay wager made with an online sportsbook.
Porter, who served as a two-way player for the Raptors, becomes the second individual banned from the league by Commissioner Adam Silver for violating regulations. The first was former Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling in 2014.
Commenting on Porter’s ban, Silver emphasized the paramount importance of safeguarding the integrity of NBA competition, stating, “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,” as reported by Sportstar.
