Key Highlights–
- NBA coach Chauncey Billups and player Terry Rozier are charged in an FBI probe into illegal betting and rigged poker games.
- Federal indictments link mafia families to multi-million-dollar poker scams involving high-profile athletes.
- Seven NBA games allegedly manipulated through fake injuries and insider betting schemes.
The NBA illegal gambling scandal sent shockwaves through American sports on Thursday, as Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat player Terry Rozier were among dozens arrested in a sprawling FBI crackdown on illegal sports betting and mafia-linked poker operations.
FBI Uncovers Multi-State Betting and Poker Scandals
The arrests came after a two-year investigation exposing alleged match-fixing, insider betting, and rigged high-stakes poker games involving retired athletes and organised-crime syndicates. FBI Director Kash Patel called the bust “extraordinary,” revealing “a coordinated takedown across 11 states” and uncovering “tens of millions of dollars in fraud and theft.”
NBA Players Accused of Betting Manipulation
Federal prosecutors said Rozier, 31, is among six people charged with manipulating betting markets by faking injuries to profit from online wagers. One incident allegedly occurred in March 2024, when Rozier, then with the Charlotte Hornets, told an associate he would be exiting early due to a sore foot. According to BBC News, this insider tip allegedly led to $200,000 in bets, netting tens of thousands in illegal winnings after Rozier left the game within nine minutes.
Furthermore, prosecutors identified seven NBA games that took place between 2023 and 2024 for review. US Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. described it as “one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes since online betting became legal.”
Rozier’s attorney told CBS News the player “is not a gambler” and intends to clear his name, while the NBA announced both Rozier and Billups have been placed on immediate leave pending investigation.
Rigged Poker Games Tied to New York Crime Families
In a separate indictment, authorities charged 31 defendants, including Billups, with running a series of rigged poker games connected to four of New York’s major mafia families: the Bonanno, Genovese, Gambino, and Lucchese groups, as reported by People and the New York Post.
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Prosecutors allege the conspirators used X-ray poker tables, marked cards, and special contact lenses to cheat wealthy guests out of millions. Victims were lured into private games in Las Vegas, Miami, Manhattan, and the Hamptons, believing they were playing alongside celebrities and former athletes.
“What they didn’t know,” Nocella said, “is that everyone, from the dealer to the players, was in on the scam.” When players refused to pay, mafia enforcers allegedly used intimidation and extortion to collect debts.
Sports Betting’s Billion-Dollar Grey Zone
The NBA illegal gambling scandal comes as sports betting continues to surge in the US since the Supreme Court legalized it nationwide in 2018. Major leagues, including the NBA, have struck sponsorship deals with betting firms, blurring the line between entertainment and regulation.
Analysts say this scandal exposes vulnerabilities in a system where athletes, insiders, and organized crime can exploit access to data and injuries. “It’s the inevitable clash between fast-growing legal betting and the dark underbelly of corruption,” a gaming law expert told ESPN.
Wider Fallout for the NBA and Global Betting Markets
Authorities have indicated the investigation is not yet complete, with the FBI stating that additional arrests may be forthcoming as evidence is reviewed. Warning that this is “only the tip of the iceberg.” The indictments also threaten to shake investor confidence in the NBA’s partnerships with sportsbooks. Amid growing fears of data manipulation, leading European and Asian wagering operators, which have been significant players in the global betting market, are now reportedly scrutinizing their NBA lines.
New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch summed it up bluntly: “As the NBA season tips off, some careers are already benched, not for injury, but for integrity.”
