Kris Johnson iGaming Journalist
Kris Johnson is a Charlotte-based deputy editor. He joined CasinoBeats in July 2025 and oversees the daily news flow of editing and publishing. Kris also reports on all aspects of the gambling industry with a...
Read Full BioJontay Porter plans to join the Seattle SuperHawks in the United States Basketball League (USBL) next month after being banned by the NBA for illegal betting.
The USBL, which was formed in 1985 and shuttered in 2008, relaunched this season with eight teams. The 2026 season tips off on March 6, but Porter’s first game would be the following day. Here is the complete list of USBL teams:
- Seattle SuperHawks
- San Diego Surf
- Los Angeles Blue Waves
- Salem Capitals
- Spokane Lilac City Legends
- Yakima Heat
- Vancouver Bears
- Bakersfield Majestics.
Fresh Start After NBA’s 2024 Ban
Porter received a lifetime ban by the NBA in 2024 for betting on his own games involving the Toronto Raptors. Specifically, Porter manipulated his performance to help bettors (including himself) win UNDER wagers on his player prop markets.
Porter, who was trying to pay off personal gambling debts, removed himself from two games during the 2023-24 season to ensure the prop bets would win.
After pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, Porter now awaits sentencing. The move to join Seattle comes after a failed bid to play for Promitheas B.C. in Greece, which was blocked by a federal judge.
“I am just trying to do what I can to provide for my family,” Porter told The Athletic.
Porter’s brother, Michael Porter Jr., plays for the Brooklyn Nets, and explained the recent spot-fixing phenomenon this way.
“Think about it, if you could get all your homies rich by telling them, ‘Yo, bet $10,000 on my under this one game. I’m going to act like I’ve got an injury, and I’m going sit out,” he said. “I’m going to come out after three minutes… And they all get a little bag because you did it one game.”
PointsBet Contests 5-Day Suspension From Porter Scandal
Meanwhile, PointsBet Canada will contest a five-day suspension of operations imposed by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) stemming from the Porter scandal. The regulator said the suspension was issued due to PointsBet’s “alleged systemic failure to properly monitor, detect, document, and report suspicious betting patterns related to the 2024 bet-rigging scheme” involving Porter.
AGCO confirmed suspicious betting patterns and declared that the unusual wagers “should have been detected and reported at the time the betting occurred.”
“Safeguarding the integrity of sports and Ontario’s sports betting market is a top priority for the AGCO,” AGCO CEO & Registrar Dr. Karin Schnarr said. “We require all operators to have robust systems and comprehensive staff training in place to reliably detect and report suspicious activity. Our regulatory framework is clear — operators must be equipped to detect and effectively respond to integrity risks, and we will take appropriate action when these standards are not met.”
PointsBet availed itself of the right to appeal the AGCO’s suspension with the Licence Appeal Tribunal. The company cited human error rather than systemic failure in its decision to appeal.
“We have a strong compliance record in Ontario and remain fully committed to the highest standards of integrity and player protection,” PointsBet Canada CEO Scott Vanderwel said. “We look forward to presenting our case at the Tribunal.”
