NBA Meeting with Sportsbook Partners To Discuss Changes to Player Props

The fallout from the Jontay Porter sports betting scandal continued last week as the NBA began meeting with their sportsbook partners to discuss future prevention.

The NBA currently has three partner sportsbooks: BetMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel. Those are the top three online sportsbooks in the US, but their partnership with the league determines what bets are offered in the US and Ontario.

"Since states began legalizing sports betting in 2018, we have worked closely with betting operators as well as integrity monitoring organizations to put in place essential monitoring and reporting systems so that we are best positioned to identify potential betting anomalies and to act to protect the integrity of our game," the NBA shared in a statement to ESPN.

The main focus of the talks revolves around player prop bets. This bet type allows bettors to wager on a player's individual stats. In the Porter scandal, the former Raptors player was having wagers placed on his stats and then exited the game to ensure the bets cashed.

One discussed change is a ban on prop bets involving players on a two-way contract. These are the players with the lowest contracts in the league, making the temptation to alter their stats far greater. 

The NBA is also discussing the possibility of eliminating “under” bets for any player props. As Porter demonstrated, faking an injury or illness to hit the under is an easy way to cheat. This would affect bettors worldwide and impact the quality of the league itself.

While no official changes have been announced, updating the NBA betting catalog seems to be a foregone conclusion.

Pro Sports Leagues Consider Change to In-game Advertising

The NBA joins the other major US pro sports leagues in forming major partnerships with sportsbooks. However, those relationships have come under fire thanks to a spike in problem gambling as well as scandals such as the one involving Porter.

Critics accuse the league of tempting fans and players alike by placing in-game advertisements on TV and all over the arena. This includes floor logos, signs, video ads on the jumbotron, and updates with the latest live odds. Those critics have gotten the attention of the US Congress, which is considering changes on a federal level.

Impending legal changes could lead sportsbooks and their league partners to work harder to control illegal and problematic sports betting. As a result, we expect to see more meetings between the two sides occur over the next few months.