By TheNuts - Oct 21, 2026
According to a league letter sent to
sportsbook partners on Friday, the NBA is banning specific kinds of wagers this season, including a player prop parlay that gamblers utilized in prior betting scandals.
The memo, which ESPN was able to receive, states that in addition to other betting markets the league deems problematic, bettors will not be permitted to use the under on the same player's statistics in parlays.
Additionally, the NBA instructed its approved gambling companies, like as DraftKings and FanDuel, to refrain from placing wagers on the outcome of the opening tip, on players missing particular shots, or on players who are anticipated to play fewer than 12 minutes in a particular game.
Through its agreements, the NBA has the power to limit what partner sportsbooks can offer. According to the NBA, up to 99% of the betting industry in the United States is accounted for by its partner sportsbooks.
The federal charges involving NBA players Terry Rozier and Jontay Porter involved parlay bets on a single player's unders.
While on a two-way deal with the Toronto Raptors during the 2023–24 season, Porter acknowledged in court that he purposefully left games early to benefit bettors.
One of the bettors accused in the scheme, according to the criminal complaint, placed a $80,000 parlay on the under on Porter's assists, rebounds, points, 3-pointers, steals, and blocks for a March 2024 game between the Raptors and Sacramento Kings that would pay about $1.1 million. Porter played just three minutes before leaving the game.
Federal prosecutors allege bettors used similar parlays involving Terry Rozier’s under-stat bets during a March 2023 game between the Charlotte Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans. Rozier left after approximately nine minutes. He has pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing.
NBA executive Scott Kaufman-Ross said the Porter and Rozier cases influenced the league’s decision to ban low-probability, high-payout parlays and alternate under lines with larger payouts. The NBA also considered prediction markets, though enforcement may be difficult without formal partnerships. Following the Porter scandal, the league had already prohibited under bets on two-way contract players.
DraftKings supports the new restrictions and said some are already reflected in its practices, emphasizing its commitment to game integrity and preventing harassment of athletes, coaches and officials.
In a memo to teams, the NBA outlined additional integrity measures for the upcoming season. Former NFL player and retired FBI agent Charles Tillman will lead in-person betting compliance training, while the league will strengthen its AI-based system for detecting suspicious betting activity.
The NBA will also update its fan code of conduct to address bettor harassment and threats. Additional protections include a partnership with Social Protect to help players remove abusive social media messages and a secure text-based hotline for reporting harassment and threats.