NBA bans first-basket props and low-likelihood under parlays for sportsbook partners
The NBA has formally restricted the player prop bets its sportsbook partners may offer, starting this season. Prohibited markets include bets on which player scores or records the first statistical event of a game, bets on whether a player will miss a specific shot attempt, and parlays built on multiple statistical-under legs tied to a single player. The league cited recent high-profile gambling-related federal investigations involving three former players as part of the broader context for tightening its rules. The NBA also disclosed that it has built an in-house, AI-based platform to flag unusual betting activity and will require all players, coaches, and training staffs to attend live integrity training led by a retired FBI agent. The new restrictions will extend to the WNBA the following season, according to the report.
Why it matters
For service providers: Prediction-market platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket remain outside these rules for now, though the NBA is still negotiating potential agreements that would give it data access and market control.
For brands: Sportsbook partners, including DraftKings, FanDuel, Fanatics, and Caesars, must remove newly prohibited prop markets from their NBA offerings.
For athletes: Players and coaches must attend mandatory in-person training on the league's betting rules this season.
Read the full story at Front Office Sports
Sources
- Front Office Sports · Ben Horney: NBA Draws New Lines on What Fans Can Bet On