The NBA has introduced restrictions on several sports betting markets, including parlays involving multiple under bets on the same player’s statistics, following gambling investigations involving current and former players.
According to ESPN‘s Shams Charania and David Purdum, the league informed its authorized sportsbook partners, including DraftKings and FanDuel, of the changes in a memo distributed Friday. Operators were also instructed to stop offering wagers on opening-tip winners, players missing specific shots, and statistical unders involving players expected to play fewer than 12 minutes.
The restrictions follow federal gambling investigations, including a case involving Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, who was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. Rozier pleaded not guilty in December.
Prosecutors allege that Rozier disclosed information about his anticipated early departure from a March 2023 game while playing for the Charlotte Hornets, enabling alleged co-conspirators to wager more than $200,000 on his statistical unders. He played slightly more than nine minutes before leaving with a foot injury.
Rozier, 32, last played for Miami during the 2024-25 season and was waived in April 2026. His case was among investigations stemming from an FBI gambling probe that resulted in more than 30 arrests in fall 2025, alongside a separate alleged rigged poker operation. Six defendants were charged in the sports betting case, which centered on non-public information about players’ health and availability.
The league’s measures also follow the case of former Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter, who received a lifetime NBA ban in 2024 for violating gambling rules.
Porter admitted deliberately leaving games early to benefit bettors. An NBA investigation found that he disclosed confidential information about his playing status to “an individual he knew to be an NBA bettor” before a March 2024 game against the Sacramento Kings.
An individual associated with Porter placed an $80,000 parlay involving unders on his points, rebounds, assists, 3-pointers, steals, and blocks, with a potential payout of approximately $1.1 million. Porter exited after three minutes, citing illness. The wager was frozen and never paid out.
The NBA subsequently prohibited under bets involving players on two-way contracts. Similar betting-related allegations have also involved Malik Beasley. NBA Executive Vice President Scott Kaufman-Ross said in the memo that the Porter and Rozier cases influenced the latest restrictions.
“Seeing where we may have had issues in the past is one of the inputs to determining the types of things that we think could be problematic,” Kaufman-Ross said.
Player statistical unders are considered susceptible to manipulation because athletes can influence outcomes by limiting their participation or leaving games early. The NBA estimates that its authorized sportsbook partners account for more than 99% of the U.S. betting market and can impose restrictions through their commercial agreements.
“The NBA’s guidance formalizes many of the market restrictions already reflected in DraftKings Sportsbook’s practices,” a DraftKings spokesperson said in a statement to ESPN.
“DraftKings supports the NBA’s efforts and is committed to continued collaboration with the league to maintain game integrity, including through appropriate limits on betting markets. DraftKings’ Code of Responsible Engagement is fully aligned with the league’s stance on the harassment of athletes, coaches, or officials.”
The memo also reportedly identifies former Chicago Bears defensive back and FBI employee Charles “Peanut” Tillman as the person who will lead in-person training on the NBA’s sports betting rules.