Why is NBA launching investigation on Jontay Porter? Raptors' center in hot water amid alleged betting scandal explored

It's been reported that Toronto Raptors big man Jontay Porter has been out of the team's lineup as he's been subject to an investigation. The NBA is investigating Porter for his involvement in a prop betting scandal. According to ESPN, the irregularities of the prop (proposition) betting have been in the works for several months.

Sources have narrowed down which games Porter was allegedly involved in. Per ESPN, the Jan. 26 and Mar. 20 games are the ones that are being looked into by the league.

The Raptors played the LA Clippers on Jan. 26. At the time, many bettors took heed of the under props for Porter. Before the game, the big man had his under props at 5.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists. The 6-foot-10 center played for only four minutes before heading to the locker room with an aggravated eye injury.

Porter had no points during that game and only had three rebounds, with a single assist. His over/under for 3s made was set at 0.5, but he didn't attempt a shot from beyond the arc. With his performance, he hit all the under of his props on betting sites.

During the Raptors' Mar. 20 game against the Phoenix Suns, Sportsbook set Porter's over/under at 7.5 points and 5.5 rebounds. In that game, he was unable to make a shot as he only had one attempt that night. The big man also had two rebounds that night after only playing three minutes.

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What policy did Jontay Porter violate?

Many were surprised by the recent news of Jontay Porter's involvement in an alleged sports betting scandal. Although it hasn't been confirmed if he's directly involved in it, it's not a good look for the NBA.

The league has made it clear that any employee who falls under the NBA umbrella is prohibited from participating in betting on any events held by the league. Failure to comply with this rule could result in the employee receiving fines, suspensions and possible termination of contracts.

To prevent players from gambling in games in the league, they must be in a gambling awareness program. Breaking this policy could potentially lead to a hefty fine.

According to sources, the commissioner can have the final say on the player's punishment if found guilty. When the decision has been made, players cannot appeal to it, allegedly.

The NBA has allowed players to be involved in sports betting. However, they've clarified that it should only be as an endorsement of the brand. According to sources, players can also hold a stake of 1% of a passive, non-controlling investment for any sports betting company.