NBA Orders Sportsbooks to Prohibit Some Prop Bets, Parlays

The NBA has issued a memo to online sportsbooks in the U.S. demanding it restrict certain prop bets and parlays from their platforms.

ESPN acquired an external memo outlining the bets the NBA wants stopped. Unlike some other sports, the NBA has the authority to pull rank on betting sites offer and don’t offer.

However, prominent cases of betting fraud involving NBA players has forced the league’s hand. The new NBA season starts tomorrow, Oct. 20.

‘Problematic’ Player Props, Parlays Banned

The NBA issued its directive last week and it includes restrictions on the type of basketball bets allowed.

From this season, U.S. bettors cannot make certain wagers on NBA games. The rule changes will also apply to the new WNBA season.

Out go “problematic bet types”, according to NBA executive vice president Scott Kaufman-Ross. Speaking to ESPN, he said the league wanted “the right balance” between restricting bets that were prone to abuse, while ensuring the NBA didn’t “move activity into the illegal market.”

That “illegal market” is the booming offshore gambling industry, far from the NBA’s reach and away from state gaming commissions’ jurisdiction.

NBA Bet Crackdown: Snapshot

• Parlays including a same-player ‘Under’ bet
• Bets on a player to miss a specific shot
• ‘First-of’ ban covering rebounds, assists, steals and blocks
• Unders on players with low minutes
• Betting on the winner of the opening tip (the official jump ball that starts a basketball game)

NBA Still Dogged by High-Profile Betting Scandals

By issuing orders, the NBA is keen to avoid the sorts of betting scandals that have affected the league in recent years.

Some of the most high-profile cases of gambling abuse involved Jontay Porter and Terry Rozier.

In 2024, the NBA banned Toronto Raptors’ Jontay Porter for sharing inside information with bettors. He was also found to bet on NBA games and limited his own time on the court to win Over/Under bets on his total playing minutes.

Online sportsbooks had noticed odd betting patterns in two Raptors games involving Porter. In both games, he finished after only being on court for a few minutes. It was found that he revealed inside information about his own health condition to a gambler before one game. Porter was handed a lifetime ban.

In May, federal prosecutors alleged that the then-Charlotte Hornets star Terry Rozier was paid $100,000 to withdraw from a game early due to injury.

A gambling syndicate then won over $250,000 betting on Rozier’s under stats. He played nine minutes of a game against the New Orleans Pelicans before being withdrawn.

Operators On Board

The NBA’s legal gambling partners have come on board with the proposals.

FanDuel said it remained “unwavering” in its commitment to “building a legal and regulated market that roots out abuses”.

DraftKings told ESPN it, “supports the NBA’s efforts and is committed to continued collaboration with the league”.

NFL Legend to Provide Player Training on Betting

The NBA has also reached out to franchises ahead of season start to highlight other changes.

In come enhanced monitoring methods to spot alleged betting fraud, plus extra support for players who are harassed courtside by the crowd.

Cases of player harassment are on the rise as losing gamblers vent their frustration after every missed slam dunk or 3-pointer.

In addition, former NFL star and retired FBI agent Charles Tillman will provide live training for franchises about the league’s gambling rules.