The NBA is facing one of its gravest integrity crises in recent history. A sprawling federal investigation has revealed that players, coaches, and organized crime figures may have been involved to exploit the league for massive illegal gambling gains.

On October 23, 2025, federal authorities announced a sweeping takedown involving over 30 individuals. including current, and former personnel.

Chauncey Billups, head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, is charged in a racketeering style scheme that includes rigged high stakes poker games tied to Mafia famillies. Terry Roizer, guard for the Miami Heat, has been accused of providing insider information about his own playing time and team situation, enabling bettors to place large “Player Prop” bets on his performance. Damon Jones former NBA player and coach is also implicated in both the betting and poker rigged operations.

The scandal hits at the heart of the NBA’s foundational promise of fair competition. Adam Silver, commissioner of the league called the developments “deeply disturbing” and acknowledged that the integrity of the game and the trust of its fans is at stake. The implications are broad: the betting markets tied to professional sports especially prop bets and player stat bets may be in need of urgent reform. Sportsbooks and regulators have begun reviewing markets for individual player stats, free throws, rebounds, and minutes that may be vulnerable to manipulation. The NBA announced an internal review of its policies, data sharing practices, and relationships to sportsbooks.

This is a wake-up call not only for the NBA, but for professional sports broadly. The convergence of insider sports information, high stakes betting, and organized crime created a perfect storm – one that threatens to undermine the most basic tenet of competitive sports. Fans, teams, and the wider sports industry will be watching closely as the investigations continue and reforms are put into place.