NBA And NBPA Support Limitations On Certain Betting

The NBA has seen a rise in legal incidents revolving around sports gambling since it became widely legalized in 2018. The most famous case was when Jontay Porter received a lifetime ban from the NBA and pleaded guilty to a federal felony charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, but recent investigations into Malik Beasley as well as Terry Rozier have once again brought the issue to the forefront of public consciousness.

It’s a matter that both the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association are aware of and are searching for answers to, according to ESPN’s David Purdum. Purdum writes that both the players’ union and league have come out in support of limitations on specific types of bets that are most likely to be vulnerable to manipulation by players or gamblers.

The first limitations, which banned prop bets on two-way players, were put in place following Porter’s court case. There is now an expectation that more restrictions will follow, especially given widespread sentiment among players that the league’s gambling partnerships were bad for the NBA.

There are other reasons for the desired changes. Purdum writes that the players’ association is less concerned with Porter’s case representing an impending trend, and more concerned about the abuse bettors direct towards players regarding failed prop bets.

“[Players] are concerned that prop bets have become an increasingly alarming source of player harassment, both online and in person,” an NBPA spokesperson said. “If tighter regulations can help minimize that abuse, then we support taking a closer look at them.”

One area of specific focus is microbets, which are centered around specific in-game outcomes. New Jersey and Ohio have both introduced bills to ban microbets, and the MLB is currently engaged in discussions regarding them after two Cleveland pitchers were placed on leave over suspicious microbet activity.