NBA Gambling Scandal Shakes League Integrity: Coaches, Players Indicted in Federal Probe

October 25, 2025 - The National Basketball Association is reeling after federal prosecutors unsealed indictments implicating current and former NBA figures in a sprawling gambling and insider betting scandal. The investigation, led by the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York, has resulted in over 30 arrests-including Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, and former player and coach Damon Jones.

The charges range from wire fraud and money laundering to conspiracy and illegal gambling, with prosecutors alleging that Mafia-backed poker games and insider betting schemes compromised the integrity of multiple NBA contests between 2023 and 2024.

What Happened?

Federal authorities say the scandal involves two overlapping schemes:

• Rigged Poker Games: Billups and Jones are accused of helping organize high-stakes poker games in Oregon and Nevada, allegedly backed by organized crime families. The games reportedly used high-tech cheating devices and were tied to extortion and debt collection operations.

• Insider Sports Betting: Rozier and Jones allegedly provided non-public injury information to betting rings, allowing associates to place fraudulent wagers on NBA games. One incident involved Rozier allegedly informing bettors he would leave a March 2023 game early-he played just 9 minutes, and over $200,000 in prop bets cashed on his underperformance.

Jones is also accused of leaking injury details about Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis before games in 2023 and 2024. While neither player is accused of wrongdoing, the leaks allegedly allowed illegal betting rings to profit from privileged information.

Who's Been Charged?

• Chauncey Billups: Indicted for his alleged role in rigged poker games. While not named directly in the betting indictment, he is believed to be "Co-Conspirator 8," described as an Oregon resident who played in the NBA from 1997 to 2014 and became a coach in 2021.

• Terry Rozier: Charged with insider betting and manipulating game performance. He has denied wrongdoing through his attorney.

• Damon Jones: Named in both indictments, accused of leaking injury information and participating in rigged poker games.

All three have been placed on indefinite leave by the NBA.

League Reaction

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver made his first public comments during a Knicks-Celtics broadcast, saying:

"My initial reaction was I was deeply disturbed. There's nothing more important to the league and its fans than the integrity of the competition. I had a pit in my stomach."

Silver confirmed the league had investigated Rozier in 2023 after noticing "aberrational betting behavior" but found insufficient evidence at the time. The league has since cooperated with federal authorities.

Behind the Boom: Legal Betting and Risk

The scandal comes amid a surge in legalized sports betting following the 2018 Supreme Court decision in Murphy v. NCAA. The NBA has embraced partnerships with sportsbooks, but critics warned that rapid expansion could invite corruption.

Former NBA player Randy Livingston, now a "Responsible Gaming Ambassador," said:

"I'm not surprised at all. I've been saying for years that the possibility of scandal was very high. Until we normalize conversations about addiction and risk, this won't be the last."

Alabama Angle

While no Alabama-based players or coaches have been implicated, the scandal has sparked concern among college and high school athletic officials across the Southeast. With legalized betting expanding in neighboring states, questions about athlete education, data security, and coaching ethics are gaining urgency.

The University of Alabama was rocked by the baseball gambling scandal involving former head coach Brad Bohannon. A former Alabama head baseball coach - Bohannon was fired in May 2023 after allegedly providing insider information to a bettor ahead of a game against LSU. Bohannon texted a known gambler, Bert Neff Jr., that Alabama's starting pitcher would be scratched due to injury-information Neff attempted to use to place a $100,000 bet at a Cincinnati sportsbook. Surveillance footage captured Bohannon and Neff's text exchange, revealing Bohannon's direct involvement in the scheme. The NCAA later issued Bohannon a 15-year show-cause penalty, meaning any school hiring him must suspend him for five full seasons. Alabama was placed on three years' probation, fined $5,000, and required to implement comprehensive gambling education for athletes and staff. The Bohannon scandal and the NBA gambling scandal show how allowing legalized sports betting corrupts the sports themselves and even impacts the play on the field.

The Department of Justice is expected to release additional details in the coming weeks. Billups and Rozier will face arraignment hearings in Oregon and Florida, respectively. The NBA has appointed interim replacements and launched a league-wide review of gambling policies.

For fans, players, and stakeholders, the scandal is a sobering reminder that the line between entertainment and exploitation can be thin-and that integrity must be protected at every level of the game.