The NBA is currently intensifying its investigation into illegal sports betting activities involving players, coaches, and team personnel, following a series of recent arrests and growing concerns about gambling-related integrity issues within the league. Multiple NBA teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers, have been asked by the league to turn over cell phones, phone records, and other documents as part of this ongoing probe, according to reporting from The Athletic.
This investigation gained momentum late last month when the FBI arrested several individuals connected to the NBA in a wide-ranging crackdown on illegal sports betting and rigged poker games. Among those arrested were Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, and former player and coach Damon Jones. These developments sent shockwaves through the NBA and the broader sports community, shining a spotlight on the league’s vulnerabilities regarding gambling and prompting intense scrutiny from Congress about the NBA’s policies and relationships with sportsbooks.
In response to the indictments, the NBA engaged an independent law firm to conduct a thorough investigation into the allegations once they became public. An NBA spokesperson told The Athletic that this process is standard in such investigations and involves requesting that various individuals and organizations preserve relevant records and documents. The spokesperson emphasized that all parties have been fully cooperative during this phase of the inquiry.
A key issue under congressional examination has been the league’s handling of Terry Rozier’s situation. Rozier was allowed to continue participating in NBA games for over 100 contests after the league had already looked into suspicious betting patterns linked to a March 2023 game in which he played. Despite concerns, NBA commissioner Adam Silver stated last month that the league could not find sufficient evidence to take disciplinary action against Rozier at that time. Silver explained that Rozier cooperated fully with the league’s investigation, providing his phone and participating in an interview. However, the league ultimately concluded that there was not enough evidence to move forward with sanctions despite what Silver described as "aberrational behavior."
Silver also highlighted the ongoing cooperation between the NBA and law enforcement agencies. He noted that while the league lacks subpoena power and other legal tools, federal authorities have those capabilities and the NBA has been working closely with them since the investigation began more than two years ago.
Following discussions with Congress, the NBA has escalated its internal review by engaging an outside law firm to reach out to teams and request additional information, including phones and documents, to support the expanded investigation into illegal gambling activities. At least ten employees of the Los Angeles Lakers are expected to be asked to surrender their phones and phone records. Among them, Lakers assistant trainer Mike Mancias and executive administrator Randy Mims have already complied and are cooperating with the investigation, according to The Athletic. It is important to note that neither Mancias nor Mims have been charged with any crimes, nor were they named in the Department of Justice indictments.
The DOJ’s indictments have also shed light on troubling allegations involving former player and coach Damon Jones. Prosecutors claim that Jones sold information regarding the injury status of Lakers players. At least one instance reportedly involved Jones receiving such sensitive information from an unnamed Lakers trainer. While the indictment does not name the players involved, contextual clues suggest that the information pertained to star players LeBron James and Anthony Davis. LeBron James is said to have been unaware that Jones was selling details about his injury status.
On November 6, Damon Jones pleaded not guilty to two criminal charges related to these allegations. He was released on a $200,000 bond and is subject to specific conditions, including prohibitions against gambling and contacting organized crime figures.
In light of these developments and the DOJ’s indictments, the NBA has begun a comprehensive review of its gambling policies and is exploring ways to better protect the league, its players, and its fans from future integrity breaches. The league recognizes the increasing prevalence of legal sports betting across the majority of U.S. states, the persistence of integrity challenges in various sports, and the rise of new betting formats and markets that create fresh vulnerabilities.
In a memo issued last month, the NBA underscored the urgency of reassessing how sports betting should be regulated and how professional sports leagues can safeguard their interests. Moreover, The Athletic reports that the league is moving rapidly toward implementing substantial changes to team protocols for reporting player injury statuses, a key area implicated in the current scandal.
This ongoing investigation and the league’s proactive response highlight the complex and evolving challenges that professional sports face amid the expansion of legalized sports gambling. With millions