The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association are backing additional limitations on prop bets as the league continues to be plagued by sports betting issues.
According to ESPN, an NBA spokesperson issued a statement saying “reasonable limitations on certain prop bets should be given due consideration.” The news comes just months after former Pistons guard Malik Beasley became the third NBA player in the last two seasons to be under federal investigation for allegations of sports betting.
The others are Jontay Porter, who received a lifetime ban from the NBA in April 2024, and Heat guard Terry Rozier. Following Porter’s ban, the NBA requested that partner sportsbooks ban wagers on prop bets for players on two-way deals—the type of contract Porter was on.
Last week, Nets forward Michael Porter Jr., the older brother of Jontay Porter, explained why he thinks some players try to fix their own prop bets as a means to make quick money.
“Think about it, if you could get all your homies rich by telling them, ‘Yo, bet $10,000 on my under this one game. I’m going to act like I’ve got an injury, and I’m going to sit out. I’m going to come out after three minutes, and they all get a little bag because you did it one game,” Porter said during an appearance on the One Night with Steiny podcast.
Fighting Harassment
The NBPA’s support for limitations on sports betting is more focused on the hate that players have received from fans. An NBPA spokesperson told ESPN that players are concerned specifically about prop bets as they have become a source of “player harassment, both online and in person.”
Porter admitted he receives death threats from gambling and that it will “only get worse.”
The NBA is far from the only league whose players have expressed receiving hate due to the rise of sports betting. Earlier this month, women’s tennis star Elina Svitolina took to Instagram to reveal several hateful messages she received after she lost at the Canadian Open.
Last year, NCAA president Charlie Baker even called for a ban on prop bets across all college sports.
Leagues and players face a stiff battle as money continues to flow into sports betting. The American Gaming Association reported sports betting in the U.S. generated a record $13.7 billion in revenue last year, up 25.4% compared to 2023.
