NEWYou can now listen to Pakinomist articles!
The NBA told its 30 teams on Monday that it had launched a review of how the league could protect the integrity of the game and its players after two figures were placed on leave for their alleged roles in a gambling scheme that was being investigated by the FBI.
Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups were among those arrested in the FBI operation. Former NBA player and coach Damon Jones was also arrested.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON Pakinomist
Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2024 inductee Chauncey Billups speaks at a Hall of Fame news conference at Mohegan Sun on October 12, 2024 in Uncasville, Connecticut. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)
“Given the spread of legal betting to most US states, the recurrence of integrity issues across sports, and the emergence of new betting formats and markets, this is an opportune time to carefully reevaluate how sports betting should be regulated and how sports leagues can best protect themselves, their players and their fans,” the NBA’s legal department said in the memo to the NBA.
Rozier was accused of conspiring with partners to help them win bets based on statistical performance in a game he played for the Charlotte Hornets in March 2023.
Sportsbooks discovered an unusual pattern of bets on the Charlotte game in question, including prop bets involving Rozier. The bets were flagged and immediately brought to the attention of the league. The league initially cleared Rozier of any wrongdoing.
“While the unusual bet on Terry Rozier’s ‘unders’ in the March 2023 game was detected in real time because the bets were placed legally, we believe there is more that can be done from a legal/regulatory perspective to protect the integrity of the NBA and our affiliate leagues,” the league said.
Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier (2) watches during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards, Sunday, March 31, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)
ARRESTS OF NBA’S TERRY ROZIER, CHAUNCEY BILLUPS LATEST CHAPTER OF GAMBLING SCANDALS IN THE WORLD OF SPORTS
“In particular, proposition betting on individual player performance involves heightened integrity concerns and warrants further investigation.”
The league said it would take a look at injury reports as part of its investigation. Jones was accused of tipping coworkers on the injury status of LeBron James and Anthony Davis before a Los Angeles Lakers game. There was no indication that James or Davis had any knowledge of what Jones was accused of doing.
“With sports betting now occupying such a significant part of the current sports landscape, every effort must be made to ensure that players, coaches and other NBA personnel are fully aware of the serious risks that gambling can impose on their careers and livelihoods; that our injury disclosure rules are appropriate; and that players are protected from player harassment.”
A congressional committee asked NBA commissioner Adam Silver for a briefing by the end of this week to discuss issues including how “loopholes, if any, exist in existing rules that allow illegal betting schemes to occur.”
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver speaks before the Paris Games 2025 NBA basketball game between the San Antonio Spurs and Indiana Pacers at Accor Arena on January 23, 2025. (Stephanie Lecocq/Reuters via Imagn Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE Pakinomist APP
Silver has maintained that he would favor federal regulation of sports betting rather than the current state-by-state approach.
