Novig, a sports prediction market operator, has significantly expanded its partnership with IC360, a prominent integrity and compliance technology firm, as part of its ongoing commitment to maintaining integrity in sports betting. This collaboration, highlighted in the wake of the 2026-27 NBA regular season opening Tuesday, will grant Novig access to IC360's ProhiTrade technology aimed at combating harassment and threats directed at athletes, coaches, referees, and sporting organizations.
ProhiTrade incorporates a centralized encrypted registry of confirmed offenders and fraudsters that participating platforms in the Bad Actor network can access. This initiative will work in conjunction with Signify, an established provider specializing in social media protection to help identify and verify bad actors.
The timing of this announcement is crucial, coinciding with the NBA season opener, where the New York Knicks will raise the championship banner, celebrating over 50 years since their last title. Last week, the league's official sportsbook partners also rolled out new restrictions on prop and parlay bets to mitigate potential risks of match manipulation.
Scott Sadin, co-CEO of IC360, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “We are thrilled to have a partner like Novig who values integrity and compliance as much as we do.” He emphasized that Novig's full adoption of IC360's services demonstrates their dedication to safeguarding users while elevating standards across the sports betting ecosystem.
Last month, Novig made headlines by securing a multi-year endorsement deal with actress Sydney Sweeney, known for her Emmy-nominated role in The White Lotus. While the financial specifics of the deal remain undisclosed, reports indicate that Sweeney opted for an equity stake in the company. The launch of Novig’s “Just Sports” campaign, featuring Sweeney, has reportedly garnered around 12 million views on X and significantly boosted app downloads during the season's first six weeks. After a $75 million Series B funding round in February, Novig's valuation jumped to an estimated $500 million; however, with Sweeney’s involvement, its value is now believed to be around $2 billion.
In a recent ad that aired on October 9, Sweeney discussed integrity issues in prediction markets while highlighting the firm’s focus on sports event contracts, saying, “There is someone sitting in a bathroom stall betting their 401(k) on a war. And then there are people who just trade on sports… Novig is just sports.”
With the expanded partnership, Novig aims to reinforce its commitment to responsible trading. Their platform, accessible to individuals aged 21 and older, has integrated responsible trading standards into its rulebook, which covers aspects like monitoring, participant protections, and governance.
By utilizing ProhiTrade, Novig can cross-reference its user base against a secured list of prohibited individuals including players, coaches, officials, and others who might possess insider knowledge or the ability to influence market outcomes. “Sports markets only work if people trust them,” stated Jacob Fortinsky, co-founder and CEO of Novig, highlighting the importance of transparency in trading practices.
As the NBA season progresses, operators at official sportsbooks are generally refraining from offering props on reserve players anticipated to log fewer than 12 minutes of playing time per game, although no restrictions currently apply to prediction markets.
Looking ahead, several former NBA players are set to face trials in an extensive illegal gambling case. Terry Rozier, a former guard with the Charlotte Hornets, allegedly shared non-public information with a gambling syndicate regarding his plans to leave a game early. Rozier is scheduled for trial with jury selection commencing in February, while another trial involving former player Chauncey Billups, related to money laundering and wire fraud conspiracy charges, is also on the horizon. Billups, who has firmly denied the charges through his attorneys, finds himself on unpaid leave from the coaching role at the Portland Trail Blazers as the situation unfolds.
As these cases progress, IC360 continues to monitor betting patterns, having previously flagged discrepancies that triggered several high-profile sports betting scandals, including those involving Rozier and Billups.
