Novig has announced an expanded partnership with IC360, a leader in integrity and compliance technology, reflecting its commitment to the campaign focused on "Just Sports." This partnership introduces IC360’s ProhiTrade "Bad Actor" technology, designed to counteract threats and harassment across the sports spectrum, affecting athletes, coaches, referees, and organizations. The technology aims to maintain a centralized, encrypted registry that tracks confirmed offenders and fraudsters, with additional collaboration from Signify, a provider of social media protection that aids in identifying harmful actors.
This announcement comes just ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season, which kicks off on Tuesday with the New York Knicks celebrating their championship win after 50 years. In a recent development, the NBA and its official sportsbook partners rolled out new restrictions on props and parlays to prevent match manipulation risks.
Scott Sadin, co-CEO of IC360, expressed enthusiasm over the partnership, stating, "We are thrilled to have a partner like Novig who values integrity and compliance as much as we do. By fully adopting our services, they are taking significant steps to safeguard their users while uplifting standards across the ecosystem. Their commitment to key initiatives like Centralised Self-Exclusion and the ‘Bad Actor’ program showcases their leadership in this area."
In another notable move, Novig secured a multi-year endorsement deal with actress Sydney Sweeney last month, coinciding with the lead-up to the NFL season. Sweeney, known for her Emmy-nominated performance in The White Lotus, has over 1.2 million followers on the social media platform X. While financial details of her deal remain undisclosed, reports suggest she acquired an equity stake in Novig. A recent ad from Novig’s "Just Sports" campaign garnered approximately 12 million views on X, with an even higher response on Instagram, where it received almost four times that number. The ad features Sweeney in suggestive attire engaged in various sports contexts, appealing to the viewer's attention.
The campaign has effectively resonated with customers, leading to a surge in app downloads in the initial weeks of the season. Following a $75 million Series B funding round completed in February, Novig’s valuation stood at around $500 million. The endorsement by Sweeney has reportedly increased this valuation to approximately $2 billion within two months.
In a new advertisement featuring Sweeney that aired on October 9, she addressed various integrity issues within the trading landscape, jokingly referencing betting on wars and personal details like the color of her underwear. Her commentary highlights the trend of "gamification" within betting, while Novig remains focused on traditional sports event contracts. "There is someone sitting in a bathroom stall betting their 401(k) on a war," she commented. "And then there are people who just trade on sports… Novig is just sports."
The partnership with IC360 underscores Novig’s dedication to responsible trading practices. As a platform restricted to users aged 21 and older, Novig has integrated responsible trading standards into its operational rules. These encompass areas such as monitoring, detection, participant protection, and governance. IC360’s ProhiTrade technology enables Novig to cross-reference its users against a secure list of barred individuals, including athletes and officials, preventing anyone with insider knowledge from capitalizing on restricted market events.
Jacob Fortinsky, co-founder and CEO of Novig, stated, "Sports markets only work if people trust them. That means keeping people with inside information from trading, giving users more control, and clarifying that those who threaten or harass our athletes should not use our platform. Partnering with IC360 enhances our ability to protect our operations and users."
Additionally, this season's NBA sportsbooks have agreed to avoid offering prop bets on reserve players anticipated to play fewer than 12 minutes per game. While these policies will affect participating sportsbooks, prediction markets remain unaffected.
Looking ahead, several former NBA players are set to face trials related to illegal gambling activities in the coming six months. Among them is Terry Rozier, a former Charlotte Hornets player, accused of sharing confidential game strategies to benefit betting outcomes. Jury selection for his case is scheduled for February, ahead of another trial regarding illegal poker activities involving Chauncey Billups, a former player and current head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers. Billups faces serious allegations connected to money laundering and wire fraud conspiracies.
Last October, Rozier and Billups were implicated in a large-scale inquiry led by the FBI, New York Police Department, and the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. Rozier has pleaded not guilty and has filed a motion to dismiss the charges. Meanwhile, Billups denies the accusations levied against him, which include participation in a group that allegedly cheated in illegal poker matches and involvement in a scheme to manipulate game outcomes.
