91原创

His case is a clear reminder of why many sports leagues in North America were reluctant to legalize betting for years. As betting becomes more prevalent across the sports world, athletes are at an increased risk of gambling problems, said Luke Clark, director of the Centre for Gambling Research at the University of British Columbia.

鈥淯nsurprisingly, sports betting is often the preferred form of gambling, but there鈥檚 little research as yet extending these links to aspects of sporting integrity like player betting,鈥� he told the Star.

It鈥檚 unclear if his alleged actions were due to a gambling addiction issue, Clark said.

鈥淚 would bear in mind that athletes can also get drawn into competition manipulation even when they have no personal interest in gambling, such as to pay off debts or loans, or if they鈥檝e been targeted by organized crime,鈥� he said.

The NBA Players鈥� Association did not say whether Porter has requested any assistance.聽聽after the ban was announced, the association noted it will make sure Porter has access to any resources he needs and advocate on his behalf.

鈥淎dherence to league gambling policies is paramount to maintaining the integrity of our athletes and protecting the future of the sport,鈥� the NBPA noted, echoing the message from the league.

The NBPA is one of the stronger player unions in North America and the gambling issue among athletes is ultimately one it’ll need to tackle going forward, said Peter Donnelly, professor of kinesiology and physical education at the University of 91原创.

Porter鈥檚 鈥渃areer death penalty鈥� is intended to serve as a warning to other professional athletes in general, he said.

鈥淚 think his betting on games is likely not unusual (even with using another person’s account),鈥� said Donnelly. 鈥淚t would be interesting to see what turned up if all NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, MLS players were put under the same microscope that Porter has been.鈥�

Several possibilities exist as to why Porter could have chosen to engage in unlawful betting activities, Donnelly said. He could have faced pressure to pass on information that helps someone鈥檚 prop bets 鈥� especially given the mounting data about match fixing internationally. Such pressure could come from debt, blackmail or any threats of harm to himself or his family.

鈥淚 suspect there’s still lots to hear about this case,鈥� Donnelly said. 鈥淎nd I suspect that gambling predators are on the lookout for current players with vulnerabilities.鈥�