The National Basketball Association (NBA) has introduced new restrictions on sports betting markets offered by its sportsbook partners for the 2026–27 season. The measures target specific player proposition bets and parlays that the league considers vulnerable to manipulation.
According to a memo obtained by ESPN and distributed to sportsbook partners on October 16, 2026, operators will no longer be permitted to offer several types of wagers, including parlays combining multiple under bets on the same player’s statistics.
The restrictions also cover bets on the winner of the opening tip, certain first-event markets, specific missed shots, and under bets involving players expected to spend fewer than 12 minutes on the court.
The decision follows a series of high-profile gambling investigations involving NBA players and other basketball figures. The league is seeking to reduce opportunities for betting-related misconduct while maintaining the availability of legal sports wagering.
Which NBA Bets Are Being Restricted?
The new rules focus on markets where an individual player’s actions or limited participation could have a disproportionate effect on betting outcomes.
The restrictions communicated to authorised sportsbook partners include the following categories:
- Parlays involving multiple under bets on the same player. Bettors will no longer be able to combine under wagers on different statistical categories for one player in a single parlay.
- Opening-tip winner bets. Markets predicting which team or player will win the opening tip are among the prohibited offerings.
- First-event markets. These include bets on which player records the first basket, three-pointer, rebound, assist, steal, or block.
- Specific missed-shot wagers. Bets on whether a player misses a particular shot attempt, including designated attempts during a game, are also targeted.
- Under bets on players expected to play fewer than 12 minutes. These wagers concern players whose limited court time could make certain statistical outcomes easier to influence.
The restrictions are designed to address specific betting markets rather than eliminate player proposition bets altogether. Other player statistics and conventional game-level wagers may remain available, subject to the applicable rules and operator policies.
Why Is the NBA Restricting Sports Betting Markets?
The NBA’s decision comes amid continuing concerns about the integrity of professional basketball and the potential for individuals to exploit inside information or manipulate player performance.
Certain prop bets are based on events that depend heavily on one player’s actions. When combined into high-payout parlays, they can create opportunities for coordinated betting activity, particularly if participants have access to non-public information or can influence a player’s performance.
The league has described the targeted wagers as low-probability, high-payout bets. Its approach is intended to limit markets that it considers especially susceptible to abuse without unnecessarily restricting the wider range of sports betting options.
NBA executive vice president Scott Kaufman-Ross has highlighted the need to balance removing problematic markets with preventing betting activity from shifting to illegal operators.
That consideration is important for regulated sportsbooks, which must comply with league requirements while competing with unlicensed platforms that may not follow the same restrictions.
Betting Scandals Behind the New Rules
The restrictions follow several investigations that have raised questions about the relationship between professional basketball and sports betting.
Jontay Porter Case
Former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter was banned from the NBA in 2024 after a league investigation found that he had disclosed confidential information to sports bettors and limited his participation in games for betting purposes.
The case involved bets on Porter’s individual performance and highlighted the risks associated with player proposition markets. Porter subsequently pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge related to the betting scheme.
Terry Rozier Investigation
Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was arrested in October 2025 in connection with a federal gambling investigation involving alleged manipulation of player performance data for betting purposes. The allegations relate to a game he played for the Charlotte Hornets in March 2023.
The case has drawn attention to the potential misuse of information about a player’s expected performance and playing time. The allegations should be distinguished from a final determination of guilt.
These cases have contributed to broader discussions about how leagues, sportsbooks, and regulators can identify suspicious wagering patterns and reduce opportunities for betting-related misconduct.
DraftKings and FanDuel Among the Affected Operators
The new restrictions apply to the NBA’s authorised sportsbook partners, including major US operators such as DraftKings and FanDuel.
FanDuel has indicated its willingness to comply with the league’s measures, emphasising the role of cooperation between sports organisations and the regulated betting industry.
For sportsbooks, the changes mean reviewing available markets and ensuring that prohibited wagers are removed from their NBA betting products. Operators may also need to adjust related betting combinations and alternative statistical lines to ensure compliance.
The practical impact will depend on each operator’s product offering and how the new restrictions are implemented across its platforms.
Will the Restrictions Apply to the WNBA?
The NBA has also indicated that the new restrictions will extend to WNBA games beginning in 2027.
This would bring the women’s professional basketball league under the same general approach to the targeted betting markets. The extension reflects the NBA’s wider effort to address integrity risks across the basketball competitions it oversees.
The specific implementation of the rules will remain subject to the league’s guidance and the arrangements governing authorised betting operators.
What the Changes Mean for Sportsbooks and Bettors
For sportsbook operators, the immediate priority is compliance with the NBA’s updated requirements. Removing the affected markets may reduce the number of available betting combinations, particularly for customers who favour player prop parlays.
For bettors, the changes mean that certain wagers will no longer be available through participating operators. However, the restrictions do not amount to a general ban on NBA betting, and they do not eliminate all player proposition markets.
The decision also highlights the growing role of sports leagues in shaping the betting products offered through their commercial partnerships. As sports betting expands, leagues are increasingly examining how specific markets may affect competition integrity and the protection of players.
The position of prediction market platforms is a separate issue. The NBA has expressed interest in addressing integrity risks across betting-related products, but the restrictions communicated to authorised sportsbook partners should not automatically be treated as rules already enforced across every prediction market.
Conclusion
The NBA’s new betting restrictions target specific prop bets and parlays that the league believes may be vulnerable to manipulation. The measures cover same-player under parlays, opening-tip outcomes, first-event markets, certain missed-shot bets, and under wagers on players expected to play fewer than 12 minutes.
Introduced ahead of the 2026–27 season, the rules form part of the league’s response to high-profile gambling investigations and wider concerns about sports integrity.
The restrictions will require authorised sportsbook partners to adjust their NBA betting products, while the planned extension to WNBA games in 2027 signals that the league intends to apply a similar approach across professional basketball.
Source: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/50196498/nba-tells-sportsbooks-stop-certain-bets-restrict-parlays
