Member-only story
Jontay Porter, Sports Betting, & the Integrity of the Game
The NBA’s continued integration of sports betting has presented new challenges, and the banning of Jontay Porter could be just the beginning
A mere month ago, most basketball fans had never heard of Jontay Porter. Today, he is perhaps the last person that the NBA wants you to know. Porter was a role player for the Toronto Raptors, appearing in 26 games this season averaging 4.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. Now, he will never play in another NBA game, after being banned for life by the league for violating the league’s gambling policy by disclosing confidential information to bettors and limiting his participation in games to win bets.
In the wake of Porter’s ban, NBA commissioner Adam Silver has called what transpired a “cardinal sin” in the NBA. The league is concerned about its integrity in the wake of this scandal, particularly now that the NBA and other American leagues have fully embraced promoting gambling. The banning of Porter feels like the NBA is making an example of a fringe player that may not have been on a roster at the start of next season. But his actions indicate a deeper issue with the culture of sports when it comes to legalized gambling, and he will not be the last player to test the limits of the gambling policy in professional sports.
