Sports Betting Scandals: From Jontay Porter to Terry Rozier, A Timeline

The Impact of the Game on Sport: A Recount of Controversies

On May 14, 2018, the United States Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, allowing the legalization of sports betting outside of Nevada, where it had been primarily permitted for 26 years. This decision marked a turning point, opening a multi-million dollar market and generating new dynamics in the world of sports. Since then, 39 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have legalized sports betting, with bettors already having invested more than $330 billion in state-licensed sportsbooks. However, the rise in betting has brought with it an increase in controversies. In the last two years, dozens of professional and college athletes and coaches have been suspended or fired for game-related violations. In early 2024, investigations were launched into suspicious betting in Temple men’s basketball and prop bets involving Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter. The NBA banned Porter for life after its investigation revealed that he had disclosed confidential information to bettors, limited his participation in at least one game, and bet on G League games. The gaming industry and sports leagues claim that the legal system is working, as the greater visibility of betting helps detect anomalies. However, incidents, including players betting on games in which they participate, persist. Parallel to this, the market for clandestine betting, which has existed in the United States since sports have, continues to thrive. Unlicensed operators offer credit and attract high-profile clients seeking anonymity. Ippei Mizuhara, former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, was fired in March for using a bookmaker. Mizuhara surrendered to authorities after prosecutors alleged he stole more than $16 million from Ohtani’s account. California and Texas, the two largest states, have not yet legalized sports betting, so the US market has a lot of room to grow. The uncertainty about the final size of the market is great, but the certainty that there will be more controversies is high.

Timeline of Incidents Related to Sports Betting

2018

May 14, 2018: The Supreme Court strikes down federal prohibitions on sports betting. The United States Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, a law that prohibited state-authorized sports betting (Nevada was primarily the only exception). The ruling opened the door for any state interested in legalizing sports betting to do so.

2019

November 29, 2019: The NFL indefinitely suspends Josh Shaw. Josh Shaw was the first active player, though on the injured list, to be suspended for betting on league games. He openly bet at a Las Vegas sportsbook against his own team at the time, the Arizona Cardinals, as part of a parlay bet.

2020

September 8, 2020: The University of Colorado signs a sponsorship agreement with PointsBet. The five-year agreement between Colorado and PointsBet allowed the sports betting operator to display signs at Colorado’s football stadium and basketball pavilion, as well as have advertisements in other media such as radio broadcasts.

2021

May 26, 2021: The Capital One Arena in Washington becomes the first professional sports stadium in the U.S. with a fully operational sportsbook. Monumental Sports, owner of the Washington Wizards, Washington Mystics, and Washington Capitals, agreed to a 10-year lease with William Hill Sportsbook.October 8, 2021: Felipe Hernandez of Sporting KC is suspended for betting on MLS matches. An independent investigation launched in July 2021 found that Hernandez had participated in “extensive and illegal sports betting” while a member of Sporting Kansas City, including bets on MLS matches. Hernandez had informed the team about his bets on July 5, telling them that he was concerned for his personal safety due to the debts he had accumulated.

2022

March 7, 2022: The NFL suspends Calvin Ridley for one year.

Ridley, receiver for the Atlanta Falcons at the time, was suspended for at least the entire 2022 season after the NFL determined that he had bet on games during a five-day period in November 2021 while on the non-football injury list. Sources reported that the period included combined bets that included the Falcons to win. He was reinstated in March 2023.

December 23, 2022: Miles Austin, New York Jets wide receivers coach, is suspended for a year. Miles Austin, the Jets’ receivers coach, was suspended for at least a year for violating the NFL’s gambling policy. The league had opened an investigation into Austin after discovering he was betting on sports, not on NFL games or college football, which violates the NFL staff’s gambling policy.

2023

January 19, 2023: UFC tightens rules on betting and hires an integrity company. The UFC added stricter language on betting to its combat conduct code and hired U.S. Integrity, a sports betting monitoring company. The change was due to suspicious betting patterns related to a UFC fight between Darrick Minner and Shayilan Nuerdanbieke.March 29, 2023: The University of Colorado and PointsBet end their partnership three years early. Colorado and SportsBet announced in a joint statement that it was “mutually beneficial” to end their partnership after almost three years. A day earlier, the American Gaming Association had published revised guidelines that discouraged similar partnerships between betting houses and universities.April 21, 2023: Jameson Williams among five NFL players suspended for gambling. Detroit Lions wide receiver Quintez Cephus, safety C.J. Moore, and Washington Commanders defensive end Shaka Toney were suspended indefinitely for betting on NFL games, while Jameson Williams and Stanley Berryhill were suspended for six games for mobile bets that occurred at the Lions’ Allen Park facility, although Williams and Berryhill did not bet on NFL games.May 4, 2023: Alabama fires baseball coach Brad Bohannon after link to suspicious betting. Ohio’s gambling regulators initially halted betting on college baseball games involving Alabama after suspicious betting activity was detected for their game against LSU. Federal prosecutors alleged that Bert Neff, an Indiana businessman and youth baseball coach, contacted Bohannon before a baseball game between Alabama and LSU and proceeded to bet against the Crimson Tide. Alabama fired Bohannon six days after the betting was stopped.May 8, 2023: Investigation into gambling at Iowa-Iowa State begins. The University of Iowa and Iowa State University announce that more than three dozen athletes, spanning baseball, American football, men’s basketball, men’s track and field, and wrestling, and a full-time employee of Iowa’s athletic department, were suspected of violating NCAA rules against sports betting.June 29, 2023: The NFL suspends four players for gambling violations. Isaiah Rodgers Sr. and Rashod Berry of the Indianapolis Colts and free agent Demetrius Taylor were suspended by the NFL at least through the 2023 season for betting on NFL games in 2022. Rodgers, however, said the bets he made were for other people, whom he refused to identify.September 29, 2023: Jameson Williams is reinstated after the NFL modifies the gambling policy. The NFL modified its gambling policies so that players who bet on their own teams would be punished more severely, a suspension of at least two years, and players who bet on any NFL game would be punished with a one-year suspension. Players who bet on non-NFL sports while on team premises or on team-related trips would now receive a two-game suspension for a first violation, six games for a second, and at least a year for a third.October 26, 2023: Shane Pinto, NHL player, is suspended for 41 games for gambling. It’s not clear how Shane Pinto, center for the Ottawa Senators, violated the NHL’s sports betting policy, but Pinto had an online betting account in the U.S. that was flagged by an NHL integrity protection partner “due to unusual activity,” according to the Ottawa Sun.October 27, 2023: Two Korn Ferry Tour golfers are suspended for sports betting. Vince India and Jake Staiano, golfers on the PGA Tour developmental circuit, were suspended for three and six months, respectively, for placing bets on PGA Tour competitions. Neither bet on tournaments in which they played.

2024

January 25, 2024: Patriots’ Kayshon Boutte arrested for illegal gambling at LSU. Louisiana State Police said charges against wide receiver Kayshon Boutte include one felony count of computer fraud and one misdemeanor count of prohibited wagering for those under 21, but that additional charges could be coming as the investigation continued. Boutte allegedly used an alias to circumvent the age requirement to place sports bets in Louisiana while betting from April 6, 2022, to May 7, 2023, when he was 20 years old.March 8, 2024: Temple reviews reports of unusual betting activity. The U.S. Integrity monitoring firm flagged at least one Temple men’s basketball game for unusual betting activity, leading Caesars Sportsbook and FanDuel, among other sportsbooks, to halt betting on the game.March 12, 2024: Amit Patel, former Jaguars employee, is sentenced to 6 and a half years in prison for fraud. Amit Patel pleaded guilty to stealing $22 million from the team. Patel stole the money over the course of 3 and a half years, transferring approximately $20 million to FanDuel and $1 million to DraftKings, using the rest of the stolen money on other expenses.March 20, 2024: The Dodgers fire Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, amid accusations of “massive theft” stemming from gambling debts. Ippei Mizuhara was fired after questions began to arise surrounding at least $4.5 million in bank transfers sent from Shohei Ohtani’s bank account to a gambling operation that is under federal investigation. A spokesperson for Ohtani initially said that Ohtani had transferred the funds to cover Mizuhara’s gambling debt.March 25, 2024: The NBA is investigating Jontay Porter of the Raptors for gambling issues. Multiple sources reported that Jontay Porter, a forward for the Toronto Raptors, was being investigated by the NBA for making prop bets on games on January 26 and March 20 that involved him.March 27, 2024: NCAA president calls for ban on college prop bets. NCAA President Charlie Baker calls for a ban on college prop bets. Baker said this is to protect “the integrity and competition” of the game, as well as to stop the harassment of students and professional athletes.April 11, 2024: Federal prosecutors say Mizuhara stole more than $16 million from Ohtani. Federal authorities filed a complaint accusing Mizuhara of bank fraud in connection with allegations that he stole money from Ohtani to cover his own gambling debts. Prosecutors said Ohtani is considered a victim in this case.April 17, 2024: The NBA bans Jontay Porter for life. The NBA announced that its investigation found that “Porter violated league rules by disclosing confidential information to sports bettors, limiting his own participation in one or more games for betting purposes, and betting on NBA games.”June 3, 2024: Marcano, of the Padres, faces a possible lifetime ban. San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano is facing a possible lifetime ban for betting on baseball. Major League Baseball received information that he bet on games involving the Pittsburgh Pirates when he was with them last season, sources confirmed to ESPN.June 4, 2024: Marcano receives a lifetime ban; four other players are suspended for one year. For violating MLB’s sports betting rules and policies, the league announced that San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano had been declared permanently ineligible. In addition, Oakland Athletics pitcher Michael Kelly, Padres minor league pitcher Jay Groome, Philadelphia Phillies minor league infielder José Rodríguez, and Arizona Diamondbacks minor league pitcher Andrew Saalfrank were declared ineligible for one year.June 14, 2024: MLB disciplines an umpire for violating the league’s gambling rules. Referee Pat Hoberg has been disciplined for violating the league’s gambling rules, although the nature of the discipline is unknown. Hoberg has denied betting on baseball and is appealing the discipline, but has not officiated a game this season.August 15, 2024: Notre Dame suspends men’s swimming team for gambling. An external review found that members of the Fighting Irish men’s swimming team violated NCAA rules by betting on the results of their competitions and failed to “treat each other with dignity and respect,” resulting in the program’s suspension for at least one year. According to a source, the athletes set up a betting pool within the team’s confines to place their bets. However, the source said they did not bet on competitors or any other Notre Dame athletic events.

2025

January 30, 2025: Federal investigators examine Terry Rozier’s game. Federal prosecutors are investigating unusual betting patterns surrounding the game of former Charlotte Hornets guard Terry Rozier in a game almost two years ago. It’s part of the same investigation that led to Porter’s lifetime suspension. According to the Wall Street Journal, Rozier, who played for the Hornets at the time and now plays for the Miami Heat, has not been accused of any wrongdoing or charged with any crime. The NBA said it investigated the matter at the time and did not find that any league rules had been violated.February 22, 2025: The NCAA and Fresno State investigate betting allegations. Fresno State and the NCAA are investigating allegations that two men’s basketball players participated in daily fantasy contests based on their own performances, according to sources familiar with the matter. Sources told ESPN that junior forward Mykell Robinson and his associates bet on and participated in daily fantasy sports contests involving Fresno State games in which he played. The bets and fantasy entries included the under on Robinson’s points and rebounds, sources said. At least one major U.S. sportsbook received increased interest in bets on Robinson’s props in games this season, according to an industry source. Robinson, a junior forward, was removed from the roster after playing in a game on Jan. 11 against Nevada. Attempts to reach Robinson for comment were unsuccessful. Fresno State senior guard Jalen Weaver told ESPN on Thursday that he played a daily fantasy contest on his point total in the Bulldogs’ home game against New Mexico on Dec. 31. Weaver said he wagered $50 that he would score more than 11 points on the Sleeper fantasy site. He finished with 13 points in a 103-89 loss to the Lobos. A third Fresno State player, sophomore guard Zaon Collins, was held out of Saturday’s Air Force game for allegedly betting on professional sports, according to multiple sources familiar with the investigation. On Saturday, when the betting investigation was first reported, Fresno State said in a statement that Weaver and Collins were “being held out of competition while the University reviews an eligibility matter.”