N.B.A. Gambling Scandal: What We Know So Far

The sports world was stunned Thursday by the arrests of Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and several other N.B.A. figures in connection with gambling schemes that included rigged poker games allegedly run by organized crime.

The cases, detailed in two federal indictments, mark the latest gambling-related scandals in college and professional sports. One case centers on illegal betting on N.B.A. games using insider information—raising serious questions about the integrity of a league that kicked off its new season just two days ago.

In the poker case, prosecutors allege that Mafia families operated an illegal ring that defrauded victims of more than $7 million. The indictments were unsealed as the N.B.A. began its new $76 billion television and media rights era, with the league heavily tied to the booming legal sports-betting industry.

F.B.I. Director Kash Patel said the schemes generated “tens of millions.” Legal betting companies like FanDuel and DraftKings continue to dominate the market, with New York State alone seeing over $2 billion in wagers during September.

Who Was Charged, and With What?

Six individuals were indicted in the insider-betting scheme. Among them were Terry Rozier, a veteran who recently played for the Miami Heat, and Damon Jones, a former N.B.A. player turned assistant coach. Four others—Eric Earnest, Marves Fairley, Shane Hennen, and Deniro Laster—were also named.

Prosecutors allege they used private team information about injuries and starting lineups to place fraudulent bets and encouraged others to do the same. Between December 2022 and March 2024, they allegedly laundered their winnings through various channels. Rozier also faces accusations of intentionally influencing the outcome of a wager.

In a separate indictment, Billups and more than two dozen others were charged for their roles in an illegal poker operation. That case also included Jones, Earnest, and Hennen. Prosecutors claim Billups acted as a “face card,” meaning his celebrity status was used to attract players to high-stakes poker games that were secretly rigged with hidden technology to give Mafia-backed players an edge.

Billups, who won an N.B.A. title in 2004 with the Detroit Pistons and entered the Basketball Hall of Fame last year, allegedly received compensation for his participation.

Were Any Other Players Involved?

Court documents allege that Damon Jones shared insider information about a “prominent” Los Angeles Lakers player being out of a February 9, 2023, game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Jones urged gamblers to bet on Milwaukee.

Though unnamed, LeBron James sat out that game with an ankle injury. He has not been accused of any involvement. Jones previously played alongside James in Cleveland before the latter joined the Lakers.

If Sports Betting Is Legal, What’s the Crime?

While online sports gambling is legal in most states, including New York and New Jersey, it depends on fair play and equal access to public information. Prosecutors say the defendants violated this principle by using confidential insider data to place bets with an unfair advantage.

Was This the Modern Version of Point Shaving?

Not exactly. In the past, illegal bookmakers mainly offered simple wagers—betting on who would win or lose, or whether total points scored would go over or under a certain line. In “point shaving” schemes, corrupt players manipulated scores to affect those results.

Today, betting apps allow for far more detailed wagers, known as proposition or “prop” bets, which can target almost any in-game event: how many minutes a player logs, how many rebounds or assists they record, or even if a quarterback throws a specific number of touchdown passes.

Rozier was accused of rigging one such prop bet while with the Charlotte Hornets. He reportedly left a game early after telling associates to bet that he would not surpass certain statistical thresholds.

Prop bets have made it easier for players to influence small aspects of a game without changing its final outcome. N.B.A. Commissioner Adam Silver has already called on gambling companies to restrict these types of wagers—particularly for lower-paid athletes who might be more vulnerable to corruption.

How Was Organized Crime Involved?

According to prosecutors, four of New York’s most notorious Mafia families—the Bonanno, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese organizations—operated high-stakes, illegal poker games across Manhattan.

The indictment claims Billups and Jones served as “face cards” used to attract wealthy victims to the games. Once seated, those victims were systematically cheated using advanced card-reading devices. One unnamed participant reportedly lost $1.8 million in a single session.

Prosecutors say the celebrity players were knowingly part of the scheme and compensated for their role in drawing victims to the tables.

The Bigger Picture

This scandal hits at the intersection of celebrity influence, legalized gambling, and organized crime—three worlds that have historically produced controversy when mixed. With the N.B.A. now so financially intertwined with betting companies, the league faces mounting pressure to restore public trust and ensure that the integrity of its games remains beyond question.