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Jontay Porter’s Lawyer Admits Player Was ‘in Over His Head’ With Gambling Addiction
Former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been banned from playing in the NBA. Last week, two individuals tied to an alleged game fixing scheme were charged, one arrested trying to flee the U.S.
The statements were provided by The Associated Press, as they assure that Jeff Jensen, who is the government investigations lawyer in St. Louis involved in this case, has been cooperating with the investigations.
“Jontay is a good young man with strong faith that will get him through this. He was in over his head due to a gambling addiction. He is undergoing treatment and has been fully cooperative with law enforcement,” the attorney shared.
EPIC to Ensure William Hill SPFL Deal Creates “Open Culture” on Gambling Risks
EPIC Global Solutions was also brought in on the five-year record-breaking deal to launch a programme in partnership with the league and William Hill, to deliver courses on gambling harm to SPFL players, staff and fans. The deal was announced this past Friday.
The problem gambling consultancy’s Senior Director, John Millington, oversaw the company’s expansion in support to leading names in sport in recent years, now overseeing problem gambling awareness within Scotland.
He commented on EPIC’s new deal in an interview with SBC: “We’re proud that we’ve once again been seen as the perfect partner to raise awareness around problem gambling issues and we’re grateful to William Hill and the SPFL for bringing this opportunity together.
“We look forward to engaging with new audiences in Scotland from next season and helping to minimise the risks that gambling can pose in a high-risk sector like elite sport.”
League Fallout With Gambling Scandals Continues
Experts agree that since gambling was effectively legalized after a US Supreme Court decision in 2018 – it’s now allowed in 38 states and Washington, DC – the industry has boomed with nearly $120 billion put down in legal sports wagers in the US in 2023, one analysis found.
“You can bet on any game anywhere, professional or amateur, and not only on the game itself, but you can bet on the individual plays in the game. And you can do it from a smartphone just by pressing some buttons,” says Andrew Zimbalist, professor of economics at Smith College.
The popularity of proposition betting, a type of wagering the focuses on player performance and is typically listed as an Over/Under option, also opens up numerous possibilities to rig games, according to Zimbalist.
“There are many, many more ways in which gamblers can approach players and say, ‘Look, I don’t need your team to lose,’” he says.
“’All I need to do is have you not score any points in the first minute of the second half … then do whatever you want the rest of the game.’ Well, the athlete is going to feel much more protected in that circumstance than they would if they had to blow a whole game,” he explains.
What Zimbalist describes exemplifies the concern of some fans as to whether they can trust what they are watching.
“One of the reasons why people love sports is because of the uncertainty of the competition,” adds Zimbalist. “The moment the idea comes in that this is really being rigged, it’s being fixed, it’s being manipulated, then the interest in the sport will decline.”
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