Porter Jr. Warns NBA Integrity at Risk as Sports Betting Booms

Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. said the rapid expansion of legal sports wagering is eroding the integrity and enjoyment of professional basketball and warned that the problem "is only going to get worse." Speaking on the "One Night with Steiny" podcast, Porter argued that today’s fans are more focused on making money than watching the game and said players routinely receive threats from gamblers when prop-bet outcomes are missed. Porter, whose younger brother Jontay was banned from the NBA in 2024 after pleading guilty to a gambling scheme, described the financial pressures that can tempt athletes to manipulate their performance. He urged regulators to confine sports betting to in-person wagers in Las Vegas, saying online access heightens risks for both players and bettors. His comments come as states continue to widen access to mobile wagering. At a Missouri Gaming Commission hearing on Wednesday, FanDuel and DraftKings forecast that their sportsbooks could generate more than $575 million in combined annual revenue once the market matures, yielding about $60 million a year in state taxes. The commission is slated to award two untethered mobile-betting licenses on Aug. 15 ahead of a Dec. 1 launch.