NBA Tightens Betting Oversight After Rozier and Porter Scandals
League cracks down on risk-prone wagers like free throws, fouls, and turnovers to safeguard game integrity
In the wake of recent betting scandals involving players, the NBA and its major sportsbook partners are redefining the rules of engagement – both on and off the court.
According to ESPN, the league, alongside operators like FanDuel and DraftKings, is reassessing which types of bets are most vulnerable to manipulation and how much players can legally wager on them.
The New “Red Zone”: Free Throws, Fouls, and Turnovers
Even before the season tipped off, the NBA had flagged three betting categories as high-risk: missed free throws, personal fouls, and turnovers.
In response, the league asked its partners to remove these betting options entirely, a move both FanDuel and DraftKings have now implemented. DraftKings, which previously allowed live, in-game bets on a player’s free throws, has scrapped the feature altogether.
Betting Limits and Game Integrity
The tightening rules don’t just affect what fans can bet on, but also how much.
Wagers on player props – bets on individual stats like points, rebounds, or assists – remain subject to stricter limits than bets on team outcomes, precisely to reduce manipulation risks.
Bets on individual performance require a higher level of monitoring
NBA Spokesperson
The league continues to emphasize its collaboration with sportsbooks to preserve competitive integrity across all games.
The Rozier and Porter Wake-Up Calls
The stricter stance follows federal allegations against Terry Rozier, who allegedly told a friend he planned to leave a March 2023 game early. The tip was sold to bettors for roughly $100,000, triggering a surge of “under” wagers on Rozier’s stats. Betting platforms noticed the suspicious activity and shut down markets hours before tip-off, after more than $250,000 had been placed.
The case echoed that of Jontay Porter, who was banned for life in 2024 for deliberately underperforming to influence prop bets.
Since then, the NBA has prohibited wagers involving players on two-way or 10-day contracts, who are viewed as more financially vulnerable.
Bookmakers Defend the System
Despite growing scrutiny, DraftKings insists the bet monitoring system is working:
These cases prove that regulated markets can detect and report suspicious activity in real time
NBA Spokesperson
FanDuel echoed the sentiment, reaffirming its partnership with the league and its commitment to updating risk protocols.
A Fragile Balance
The Sports Betting Alliance, representing major U.S. operators, cautioned that overly strict bans could drive bettors toward unregulated markets, where there’s no oversight or consumer protection:
A total ban on prop bets could fuel illegal gambling on offshore sites.
Sports Betting Alliance
The NBA’s challenge, ultimately, is to strike a balance between integrity and accessibility – ensuring that betting remains a controlled complement to the fan experience, not a threat to the sport’s credibility.