The NBA is prohibiting certain types of bets this season, including a player prop parlay used by gamblers in recent betting scandals, according to a league memo distributed to sportsbook partners Friday. Bettors will not be able to include the under on the same player's statistics in parlays, along with other betting markets the league considers problematic, according to the memo obtained by ESPN.
The league also directed its authorized gambling operators, including Draft Kings and Fan Duel, not to offer bets on the winner of the opening tip, players to miss specific shots, and under bets on players expected to play fewer than 12 minutes in a specific game. NBA executive vice president Scott Kaufman-Ross said the league is seeking a balance between removing problematic bet types and avoiding pushing activity into the illegal market. "Where we landed right now, we think, is the right balance of those two objectives," he told ESPN.
The restrictions follow federal cases involving NBA players Jontay Porter and Terry Rozier. Porter admitted he intentionally removed himself from games early to benefit bettors while on a two-way contract with the Toronto Raptors during the 2023-24 season. Prosecutors said one bettor placed an $80,000 parlay on the under on Porter's stats for a March 2024 game that would have paid approximately $1.1 million. Rozier has pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing. Kaufman-Ross said those cases were factors in banning such parlays, described in the memo as "low likelihood, high payout bets."
Sportsbooks will also be barred from offering alternate lines on unders with larger payouts. The NBA has not announced formal partnerships with prediction markets, which Kaufman-Ross acknowledged could make enforcement challenging. A Draft Kings spokesperson said some of the new restrictions are already reflected in its practices and expressed support for the league's efforts to maintain game integrity.
Source: ESPN NBA · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing