Malik Beasley Under Federal Probe For NBA Betting

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Federal prosecutors are investigating free agent guard Malik Beasley over potential NBA betting violations, multiple sources confirmed.

The US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York is leading the probe. That same office recently brought charges against former Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter in a separate NBA betting case that led to a lifetime NBA ban.

Beasley has not been charged. His attorney, Steve Haney, confirmed the investigation and said Beasley has not been accused of wrongdoing.

“This is simply an investigation,” Haney said in a statement. “At this point, Malik has not been charged with any crime and there has been no formal accusation of wrongdoing.”

The NBA confirmed it is cooperating with federal prosecutors, as first reported by ESPN. A spokesperson for the Detroit Pistons, where Beasley played last season, deferred comment to the league.

Unusual Beasley betting flagged

Sources at multiple US sportsbooks told LSR they identified irregular betting activity tied to Beasley’s player props during the 2023–24 season, when he was with the Milwaukee Bucks.

One specific incident occurred on Jan. 31, when the Bucks played the Portland Trail Blazers. Betting action surged on Beasley recording fewer than 2.5 rebounds. The odds on the “under” moved significantly across the market, shifting from around +120 to -250 ahead of tipoff. Beasley finished the game with six rebounds, and the bets flagged as suspicious lost.

Several sportsbooks escalated the activity internally due to the sharp line movement and volume of bets focused on a single player. Sportsbooks typically review this type of activity in real time using trading data and risk models. When multiple red flags emerge, operators may share the findings with league officials and integrity monitors.

Law enforcement involvement indicates a more serious concern, often involving potential proxy betting or access to non-public information. Sources told LSR that federal officials are examining whether any individuals with ties to Beasley placed the wagers.

Related to Jontay Porter ring?

League sources said Beasley’s investigation is not connected to the Porter case, though both involve the same federal office.

Porter was banned from the NBA last April after a league investigation found he had disclosed confidential information to bettors and limited his own playing time to influence prop outcomes. He later pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud conspiracy. Four other individuals also pleaded guilty in that case.

Beasley has not been publicly accused of betting or leaking information.

Investigation puts Beasley free agency on hold

Beasley signed a one-year, $6 million deal with Detroit ahead of the 2024–25 season. He appeared in all 82 games, averaging 16.3 points per game and shooting 41.6% from three. His 319 made threes ranked second in the NBA.

After the season, Beasley and the Pistons entered discussions on a new three-year, $42 million contract, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Those talks are now on pause as the investigation plays out.

League office sources indicated teams are hesitant to engage in free agency talks with Beasley while the matter remains unresolved.

NBA betting rules and penalties

Under the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, players, team personnel, and league employees are prohibited from betting on any NBA property. There is no threshold amount; any bet is a violation.

Players may legally wager on other sports if it is permitted in their jurisdiction. They may not play fantasy basketball for cash prizes but can participate in non-cash contests.

A permanent ban is reserved for egregious violations, such as betting on one’s own games or disclosing confidential information. The league issued that penalty to Porter in April.

The current CBA, ratified in 2023, allows players to endorse betting and fantasy brands under certain restrictions and invest in those businesses alongside team owners. That change brought players in line with team owners like Mark Cuban and Tilman Fertitta, who already held equity in sportsbooks or related companies.

The new CBA also allowed players to endorse sportsbooks, as long as that promotion is unrelated to betting on NBA games. LeBron James for example, has a sponsorship with DraftKings exclusive to NFL betting.

NBA integrity monitoring still evolving

The NBA has built out its integrity infrastructure since embracing legal sports betting. Each team has a designated integrity officer. The league also works with data scientists and third-party monitoring services to flag suspicious betting activity.

Those systems have come under pressure as betting becomes more visible and lucrative across the sport. More than two-thirds of NBA teams have sportsbook partners, and the league splits betting-related revenue with players through basketball-related income.

Photo by AP Photo/Duane Burleson