NBA Reviews Bets After Rozier and Billups Arrests

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is taking a hard look at how it handles sports betting following last week’s arrests of Miami guard Terry Rozier and Portland coach Chauncey Billups, both charged in connection with alleged gambling schemes. 

The league wants to make sure its games remain fair and that players and coaches are protected.

“An Opportune Time”

A memo sent to all 30 teams, obtained by The Associated Press, explains the league’s concerns. 

“Given the spread of legal betting to the majority of US states, the recurrence of integrity issues across sports, and the emergence of novel betting formats and markets, this is an opportune time to carefully reassess how sports betting should be regulated and how sports leagues can best protect themselves, their players, and their fans,” the memo reads.

The matter has also reached Capitol Hill. Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell, leading the Commerce Committee, are seeking detailed information about the NBA’s investigation into Rozier and the events of a March 23, 2023, game when he played for Charlotte. 

“This Committee needs to understand the specifics of the NBA’s investigation and why Rozier was cleared to continue playing basketball,” the senators wrote. They asked Commissioner Adam Silver to provide answers by November 10.

Rozier and Billups were among nearly three dozen people arrested last week. Rozier is accused of conspiring to help associates win bets based on his performance in that March game, similar to charges former Toronto player Jontay Porter faced before being banned by the league in 2024. 

Sportsbooks noticed unusual betting patterns involving Rozier, which were reported to the NBA, but the league did not find enough evidence to take disciplinary action at the time.

More Action Needed

The NBA told teams that it believes more can be done to protect the league legally and from a regulatory standpoint. “In particular, proposition bets on individual player performance involve heightened integrity concerns and require additional scrutiny,” the memo said.

The league is reviewing injury reporting procedures, which provide frequent updates on player status. This information can be misused by bettors with inside knowledge, which has led to legal trouble in the past. 

Former player Damon Jones, for instance, faces charges for allegedly tipping off gamblers about the health of Lakers stars before the information was public. The league also plans to assess the way they can employ Artificial Intelligence to uncover suspicious betting that might suggest the use of insider information.