Raptors forward Porter banned from NBA for breaching betting rules

Jontay Porter of the Toronto Raptors has been banned from the NBA for breaching gambling rules.

The league said in a statement that Porter, 24, disclosed information about his health to a known bettor before a game.

He also limited his own participation in at least one game to impact the outcomes of bets, and placed bets on NBA games, including one involving the Raptors to lose.

“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,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a 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.

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

Porter’s last game in the NBA was on March 22 in the Raptors’ loss to Oklahoma City Thunder.

The NBA said in its statement that a few days earlier Porter “disclosed confidential information about his own health status to an individual he knew to be an NBA bettor” ahead of a game against the Sacramento Kings.

He only played three minutes of the game, saying he felt ill.

Porter also placed at least 13 bets on NBA games earlier this year using an associate’s betting account.

The bets ranged in size from $15 (£12) to $22,000 (£17,698) for a total of $54,904 (£44,169). The total payout from was $76,059 (£61,188), resulting in net winnings of $21,965 (£17,670).

None of the bets involved games in which Porter played, but he did bet on the Raptors to lose.

Porter joined the Raptors in December 2023 and is the brother of the Denver Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr.