The NBA is barring several categories of proposition wagers and parlays this season following criminal investigations into game manipulation by players, ESPN reported on Friday.
In a memorandum distributed to authorized sportsbook partners on Friday, the league prohibited parlay bets combining multiple statistical “under” wagers on an individual athlete. The new rules also ban alternate under lines that offer larger payouts, wagers on which team or player wins an opening tip, bets on athletes missing specific shots, and under bets on players projected to play or average fewer than 12 minutes.
Major sportsbooks such as DraftKings and FanDuel, which the league calculates represent more than 99 percent of the regulated U.S. sports gambling market, are bound by the policy. Representatives for both companies expressed support for the league’s restrictions, Fox Business reported.
Addressing Vulnerable Wagers
The league sought to curb betting markets that are easily compromised by inside details or single-player actions. Prop bets focus on individual milestones, such as points, assists or rebounds, rather than overall game results.
“There’s a balance between ensuring that we are removing problematic bet types but also ensuring that we don’t just move activity into the illegal market,” NBA Executive Vice President Scott Kaufman-Ross told ESPN.
The move follows federal inquiries into several athletes. Jontay Porter, a former Toronto Raptors center, admitted to leaving games early during the 2023-24 season to assist gamblers who placed large sums on his statistical unders. In one instance, a bettor wagered $80,000 on a six-leg under parlay tied to Porter, yielding an estimated $1.1 million payout after the center departed after three minutes of play.
Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn also charged Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier in October 2025. Authorities alleged that bettors placed more than $200,000 on Rozier’s unders during a March 2023 contest with the Charlotte Hornets after learning he planned to exit early. Rozier, who departed after roughly nine minutes, has pleaded not guilty and maintained his innocence.
The memorandum arrived shortly after Las Vegas gambler Shane Hennen entered a guilty plea in Philadelphia federal court, admitting to using nonpublic information to wager on NBA contests related to the case involving Rozier, the New York Daily News reported.
Player Safety and Surveillance
In addition to restricting wagers, the NBA announced new programs aimed at deterring misconduct and protecting athletes from abuse. Charles Tillman, a former NFL defensive back and retired FBI special agent, will conduct in-person education sessions with NBA teams regarding sports gambling policies.
The league is expanding its artificial-intelligence monitoring software to track anomalous betting volume in real time. Officials also introduced a dedicated text-message hotline for athletes facing intimidation or threats from gamblers. Players will further receive access to an outside service designed to detect and take down abusive messages across social media platforms.
League officials previously barred wagering on players on two-way or 10-day contracts, as well as props concerning fouls, turnovers and missed free throws. Kaufman-Ross noted to ESPN that regulating emerging prediction markets remains an ongoing challenge because the NBA does not maintain official business ties with those platforms.
