Jontay Porter lifetime ban from NBA, explained: Raptors forward expelled from league for violating gambling policy

Raptors forward Jontay Porter has received a lifetime ban from the NBA for violating the league's gambling policy.

The NBA launched an investigation against Porter on March 25, which revealed he had disclosed confidential information to bettors and limited his participation in at least one game to influence prop bets during the 2023-24 season.

Porter's prop bets were the top moneymakers on two separate nights in 2024 among NBA wagers, per DraftKings Sportsbook Insights — both during games in which Porter exited early due to minor injuries.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver warned that Porter's alleged actions were a "cardinal sin" and that the punishment for it could "go up to banishment from the league." That held true with Wednesday's announcement.

For more information on Porter's gambling probe and his lifetime ban from the NBA, The Sporting News has you covered.

MORE ON JONTAY PORTER:

• Why Raptors center received lifetime ban from NBA
• What to know about Porter’s NBA contract status
• Who else has received lifetime bans from the NBA?

Jontay Porter's ban from the NBA, explained

Sportsbooks flagged Porter's name due to unusual betting activity surrounding his player props. Bets on Porter to finish under on his statistics were the most profitable NBA wagers on DraftKings on two separate days.

In a game against the Clippers on Jan. 26, Porter played just four minutes before leaving the game with an "aggravated eye injury," finishing with zero points, three rebounds, one assist and zero 3-point attempts.

DraftKings Sportsbook reported that the under on Porter's 3-point prop (which was set at 0.5) was the "biggest money winner for bettors of any NBA player props from games that evening," in a daily report sent to users on betting results.

Two months later, on March 20, Porter left a game against the Suns with an "illness," finishing with zero points and two rebounds. DraftKings Sportsbook reported the next day that Porter's prop bets were the top moneymakers that night.

MORE: Jontay Porter stats, contract: Everything to know about player banned by NBA for sports betting

In the league's press release announcing his ban, the NBA specifically highlighted the March 20 game cited in the original investigation.

The release said Porter "disclosed confidential information about his own health status to an individual he knew to be an NBA bettor" ahead of that game. Another better privy to that information placed an $80,000 player prop parlay to win $1.1 million, wagering that Porter would underperform.

In addition to that finding, the NBA also revealed that Porter placed "at least 13 bets on NBA games using an associate's online betting account." 

The bets ranged in size from $15 to $22,000. He netted $21,965 in winnings from those bets, though none of them involved games in which Porter played. He did bet on the Raptors to lose one game, though he did not win that bet.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver's statement on Jontay Porter ban

NBA commissioner Silver was clear about the possible punishment if Porter was found guilty of sports betting violations, and he followed through with that warning Wednesday.

“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 wrote in the NBA's press release.

“While legal sports betting creates transparency that helps identify suspicious or abnormal activity, this matter also raises important questions 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.”

History of bans in the NBA

Porter is the first player to be banned by the NBA in the new age of legal sports gambling.

In the 1950s, 10 players were preemptively banned for their involvement in the 1951 CCNY point-shaving scandal. Three others were preemptively banned in the 1960s for their participation in the 1961 NCAA University Division men's basketball gambling scandal.

Since then, the majority of bans from the NBA were due to violations of the league's illegal substance or substance abuse policy. The one outlier was former Clippers owner Donald Sterling, who was granted a lifetime ban in 2014 for racism.

In the 21st century, Porter is only the sixth ban issued by the NBA.

MORE: Who has received lifetime bans from the NBA?

*Mayo was eligible to apply for reinstatement in 2018 but has not returned to the NBA.