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The NBA 2K League has disqualified six players and a coach from any and all league activity for violating gambling and fantasy rules.
The highly popular Esports league is a t venture between the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Take-Two Interactive. The video game league was founded in 2017. As of 2022, there are now 22 NBA teams that have a 2K team. Additionally, two international teams also compete in the league but have no NBA affiliation.
Violating NBA 2K League gambling rules
In a statement, 2K League president Brendan Donohue said:
“The integrity of our game is, and always will be, the NBA 2K League’s top priority. We take our obligation to the competition and to our fans incredibly seriously, and we will always act forcefully regarding violations of the rules governing game integrity and the related reporting and cooperation requirements.”
The following has been announced by the NBA 2K League: pic.twitter.com/Nr30aIyQuU
— NBA 2K League (@NBA2KLeague) October 27, 2022
Players suspended indefinitely
An investigation found that five players associated with the Blazer5 Gaming, Jazz Gaming, and Mavs Gaming franchises all wagered on or attempted to wager on NBA 2K League competitions.
The players are:
- Christopher Lafanette (Blazer5 Gaming)
- Dorian Earl Miller (Blazer5 Gaming)
- Robert Nastasi (Blazer5 Gaming)
- Kimanni Ingram (Jazz Gaming)
- Zekirri Dennis (Mavs Gaming)
Blazer5 Gaming coach Andrew Maxie and player Marquis Gill were also disqualified for failing to report violations or cooperating with the league’s investigation. These are not the first players that the NBA 2K League has sanctioned for gambling activity. In 2019, the league disqualified Basil Rose for a similar violation.
While most states do not offer wagering on NBA 2K League competitions and some ban all esports betting, there are prevailing headwinds to change that in Las Vegas. Additionally, both Colorado and New Jersey allow limited Esports betting.
