Betting of all kinds is dangerous. One can risk nearly everything they have in order to win. It's a life destroyer. It's strictly a forbidden act in sports. If an athlete or professional is caught doing it, they will likely serve a long ban from the sport.
This has been illustrated by two different stories. One is the NBA gambling scandal and the second is a federation of referees having betting accounts.
The NBA is facing a gambling crisis after a sitting head coach, a current player and a former player were all arrested in connection with two federal indictments related to illegal gambling on games and rigged poker games that had Mafia ties.
The alleged connection between the Mafia and two former NBA players - Hall of Famer, Chauncey Billups and long time veteran, Damon Jones - began the way such things often do: through a little-known intermediary. That's one of the ways organised crime finds its way into locker rooms and athletes' inner circles; by degrees, through introductions that seem harmless enough.
What starts as a friendly poker night or an invitation from a trusted acquaintance can, before long, become something else entirely - a sticky web of influence and, soon enough, obligation, former prosecutors and those who study the Mob say.
In this case, prosecutors allege, the intermediary was Robert L. Stroud, a 67-year-old Louisville man with a criminal history. In 1994, Stroud killed a man during an evening playing cards and gambling at a home in Louisville, according to local outlet, WAVE News. The outlet also reported that when Stroud was pulled over in 2001 for having expired tags, a police officer found "sports betting cards, dice, playing cards and what appeared to be gambling records" in the back seat.
Stroud recruited Billups and Jones to take part in rigged poker games run by members of New York City's most prominent crime families, according to an indictment and accompanying court documents made public last week.
"Stroud recruited former professional athletes, including defendants Billups and Damon Jones, into the conspiracy to lure wealthy victims into playing in the games," according to a detention memo filed with the case. "For their role as 'Face Cards' and members of the cheating teams, Stroud paid them a portion of the criminal proceeds."
Scott Burnstein, a Mafia expert and founding editor of The Gangster Report, a website that tracks organised crime, said underworld figures often begin cultivating relationships with athletes early at youth sports events and other loosely regulated venues.
"These showcase events, AAU basketball or 7-on-7 football tournaments are sometimes staged by criminals, or people close to criminals," Burnstein said. "They then can later tap those relationships."
Often, the ask is not one that would necessarily affect the outcome of a game. If a player is asked to get under a certain number of rebounds or play fewer minutes by faking an injury, it can be easy to rationalise," Burnstein said.
"They can do mental gymnastics to the point where they don't really think they are affecting the outcome of a game," he said. "So, they are morally in the clear in their minds."
Portland Trail Blazers coach, Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard, Terry Rozier and former NBA player, Damon Jones, are all facing criminal charges in the wake of the scandal, which is also connected with the investigation that led to the NBA banning former Toronto Raptors player, Jontay Porter. Federal authorities allege the extensive scheme spanned years and there are more than 30 co-defendants accused in the case along with these prominent NBA figures.
The investigation remains ongoing, authorities said and fallout has been immediate. Billups and Rozier were placed on immediate leave from their respective teams. Rozier's attorney issued a statement declaring Rozier is "not a gambler." Billups' attorney also released a statement denying Billups' alleged role in the rigged poker games and emphasised that Billups did not gamble on basketball games.
Here's a timeline and breakdown of all the alleged events and games that are mentioned as part of the federal investigation into the NBA's gambling scandal:
9 April 2019
Federal authorities allege that rigged poker games backed by the Bonanno, Gambino and Genovese organised crime families of La Cosa Nostra began as early as 2019. One specific game involving Billups on this date allegedly defrauded victims out of more than $50 000.
The scheme featured a shuffling machine that had been secretly altered to use concealed technology to read the cards in the deck, predict which player at the table had the best poker hand, and relay that information to an off-site operator.
The indictment also includes messages in which the defendants had signals for a "quarterback" at the table to use once he was relayed the information in real time from off-site and discussions about purposefully losing hands to keep the victims at the table longer. One of the victims was "starstruck" by Billups, according to the indictment, and "this was by design."
October 2020
The indictment alleges that following another rigged poker game in late October 2020, bank records show co-defendant, Robert Stroud, wired $50 000 to co-defendant, Sophia Wei, who then wired $50 000 to Billups.
December 2022
Investigators allege this is when the gambling scheme involving non-public game status information began; with the co-defendants accused of using "access to private information known by NBA players or NBA coaches that was likely to affect the outcome of upcoming NBA games or individuals' performances," according to the federal indictment. "They provided other co-conspirators this non-public information ‒ in exchange for either a flat fee or a share in expected wagering profits - for the purpose of betting."
9 February 2023
The morning before a game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks, Jones is accused of providing non-public injury information about an unnamed player who fits the description of LeBron James in the indictment. Jones, according to the investigation, sent a text message alerting a co-conspirator in the case that James would not be playing, even though James hadn't been ruled out on the official injury report yet.
James didn't play in the game and the Lakers lost. Jones, who played three NBA seasons with James in Cleveland, served as an unofficial assistant coach working primarily with James during the 2022-23 campaign.
23 March 2023
The indictment alleges Rozier, then playing for the Charlotte Hornets, informed co-defendant, Deniro Laster, that Rozier was going to prematurely remove himself from a game against the New Orleans Pelicans in the first quarter. Laster then allegedly sold this information to multiple co-conspirators, including co-defendant Marves Fairley. Fairley and an unnamed co-conspirator agreed to pay Laster $100 000 from their expected gambling winnings.
Fairley also sold the information to co-defendant, Shane Hennen, who dispersed it to a network of associates in order to place wagers on prop bets for Rozier's "under" in the game. Prior to the start of the 23 March game, authorities allege Hennen, other unnamed and named co-conspirators in the investigation placed more than $260 000 in bets on Rozier's under.
Rozier, according to the indictment, removed himself from the game in the first quarter after playing less than 10 minutes and did not return. He had five points and two assists and finished "under" the lines set by oddsmakers for his points, assists and 3-point shots.
24 March 2023
Prior to a game between the Portland Trail Blazers and Chicago Bulls, according to the indictment, an unnamed co-conspirator who fits the description of Billups allegedly told co-defendant, Eric Earnest, the Trail Blazers were tanking and several of their best players wouldn't be playing.
Earnest then provided the non-public information to Fairley, who promised to pay at least $5 000 if bets against the Trail Blazers were successful. Fairley and Hennen then placed more than $100 000 in wagers that Portland would lose the game.
The Blazers wound up not playing their top four leading scorers for the season and the lines changed once the official injury report was released approximately 30 minutes before tipoff. The Bulls then beat the Trail Blazers, 124-96.
28 March 2023
The indictment alleges Fairley traveled to Philadelphia to collect his cut of the winnings from the 23 March game involving Rozier. Laster is also alleged to have traveled to Philadelphia on the same day to collect his portion of the winnings from Fairley. Rozier arranged and paid for Laster's travel, according to the investigation. Fairley gave Laster "tens of thousands of dollars" in cash as payment for the information Laster provided to Fairley regarding Rozier's plan to remove himself from the game early.
30 March 2023
Laster drove from Philadelphia to Rozier's home in Charlotte, North Carolina, according to the indictment and during the early morning hours of 1 April, he and Rozier counted the money that Laster had received from Fairley from the March 23 game.
6 April 2023
Hours before a game between the Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers, according to the indictment, one of the Magic's "regularly starting players" told an unnamed co-conspirator that Orlando would be sitting its entire starting line up. This non-public information was provided to Fairley, who allegedly placed an $11 000 bet that the Cavaliers would cover the spread. The Magic, according to the investigation, were favoured by 9.5 points at the time. The Magic didn't play their starters and Cleveland won the game by 24 points.
September 2023
On 7 September, five co-defendants successfully robbed an altered shuffling machine, according to the indictment. Jones then asked co-defendant, Robert Stroud, who was named as part of the robbery as well, for a $10 000 advance in connection with a rigged poker game in East Hampton, New York.
Stroud sent $2 500 to Jones via Zelle. Three days later, messages featured in the indictment show co-defendant, Tony Goodson, coaching Jones on how to cheat, while comparing two players in the rigged poker game to NBA stars, Stephen Curry and LeBron James.
15 January 2024
Before a game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder, Jones allegedly gave non-public injury information to Earnest related to an unnamed player who fit the description of Anthony Davis in the indictment. Jones claimed to have learned from a trainer for James and Davis that Davis was injured and only going to play a limited number of minutes. Earnest shared the information with Fairley, who then shared it with Hennen and another co-conspirator. Fairley allegedly bet about $100 000 against the Lakers. Jones was paid approximately $2 500 for the information, according to the indictment.
Davis was listed as probable and ultimately played in the 112-105 Lakers' win, finishing with 27 points and 15 rebounds over more than 38 minutes of action. After the game, according to the investigation, Fairley requested that Jones repay the $2 500. Jones, investigators noted, reiterated via text message that he had provided credible information.
23 January 2024
Rozier was traded by the Charlotte Hornets to the Miami Heat. The Heat weren't made aware that Rozier was being investigated for suspicious betting activity.
26 January 2024
Prior to a game between the Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Clippers, then-Raptors forward, Jontay Porter, agreed with co-defendant, Long Phi Pham and others to exit the game prematurely due to injury in order for others to place bets on Porter's unders for the game, according to the indictment. Pham provided the information to Hennen, who then alerted Fairley and other associates.
20 March 2024
The same scheme involving Porter, Pham, Hennen and Fairley was executed as part of a game between the Toronto Raptors and Sacramento Kings.
17 April 2024
The NBA banned Porter for disclosing confidential information to sports bettors and betting on games after a league investigation.
13 January 2025
Porter pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy in federal court, with a sentencing hearing scheduled for December. He faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.
30 January 2025
The Wall Street Journal reported that Rozier was still under investigation by federal authorities over suspicious betting activity flagged in connection with the March 2023 game between the Charlotte Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans. "In March 2023, the NBA was alerted to unusual betting activity related to Terry Rozier's performance in a game between Charlotte and New Orleans," NBA spokesman, Mike Bass said at the time.
"The league conducted an investigation and didn't find a violation of NBA rules. We are now aware of an investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York related to this matter and have been cooperating with that investigation."
Rozier's attorney told reporters that the NBA interviewed Rozier twice. "They took his phone, downloaded everything, and, at the end of the day, they said there's nothing to see here and cleared him," attorney Jim Trusty said.
Trusty added that "FBI agents" were involved in the league investigation.
23 October 2025
Rozier, Billups and Jones were arrested for their respective roles in the rigged poker games and illegal betting scheme surrounding NBA games.
24 October 2025
NBA commissioner, Adam Silver, in his first public comments, said during a half-time interview with Amazon Prime, he was "deeply disturbed" by the allegations. "There’s nothing more important to the league and its fans than the integrity of the competition," Silver added.
Asked how the league had cleared Rozier given his arrest, Silver noted, "the federal government has subpoena power, it can threaten to put people in jail, it can do all kinds of things that a league office can’t do. So we’ve been working with them since then."
When Chauncey Billups left a federal courthouse in Portland after being arrested, the notion of an active NBA head coach being involved in what authorities said were underground and rigged poker games backed by the biggest names in organized crime, stunned the world.
The NBA’s gambling scandal has officially reached Washington, and that’s never a good sign. the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation sent a letter on Monday to commissioner, Adam Silver, requesting extensive details about the league’s gambling policies and recent internal investigations.
The move follows last week’s federal indictments that rocked the league, implicating multiple figures, including Heat guard Terry Rozier.
"The integrity of NBA games must be trustworthy and free from the influence of organized crime or gambling-related activity," the committee wrote. "Sports betting scandals like this one may lead the American public to assume that all sports are corrupt."
Lawmakers specifically want documentation of every NBA investigation involving players, coaches or executives since 2020. They’re also asking why Rozier was cleared by the league’s internal probe before federal prosecutors stepped in.
That earlier review reportedly found "insufficient evidence" of wrongdoing — a conclusion Congress now wants explained.
The request could be a turning point. Congress has the authority to create an independent regulatory body to oversee sports gambling, potentially forming a Sports Integrity Commission similar to how the SEC oversees Wall Street.
Ever since legalised sports betting took hold in 2018, the fear has been that one major scandal could bring Washington into the mix. That moment has arrived.
How the NBA handles this investigation may determine whether leagues continue policing themselves, or lose that power entirely.
Meanwhile, Turkey's Football Federation (TFF) revealed that 371 of 571 referees working in professional leagues hold betting accounts, with 152 actively placing bets, prompting prosecutors to launch an investigation into match-fixing allegations.
TFF President, İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu, announced on Monday that investigations with state authorities had uncovered widespread betting among officials, including seven top-class referees and 15 assistant referees.
One referee placed 18 227 bets, while 42 referees wagered on over 1 000 football matches.
"Starting from today, our disciplinary committee will take the necessary actions," Hacıosmanoğlu said, adding that referees will be referred to the disciplinary board for penalties under federation instructions.
Turkey's football federation revealed that 371 of its 571 referees hold betting accounts, prompting the prosecutor's office to open an investigation into alleged match-fixing.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office said it accepted Hacıosmanoğlu's statement as a formal denunciation and will expand its ongoing investigation launched in April. Prosecutors are examining potential violations of laws preventing sports violence and irregularities, sports federation regulations, and betting legislation.
"With the identification of these referees, the current investigation will be further deepened," the prosecutor's office stated.
Galatasaray President, Dursun Özbek, called the investigation, "an important turning point for Turkish football," demanding the federation transparently publish the names of referees with betting accounts, matches they officiated, and details of their wagers.
"We will follow this process to the end," Özbek said on the club's website. "We are ready to assume every responsibility for the construction of an order in which the dark spots of Turkish football are illuminated."
Fenerbahçe President, Sadettin Saran, said the revelations vindicated his club's concerns about betting amongst officials. "Our righteousness is coming out," he said, adding he would personally monitor the investigation.
Beşiktaş demanded the publication of referees' names, while some clubs called for the abolition of relegation this season. The investigation covers a five-year period under Turkish law.
What has happened to the referees who had betting accounts?
Nothing yet — not publicly, at least — but the TFF’s deputy president, Mecnun Otyakmaz, told the newspaper Hurriyet that their identities will be made known in due course and they will face disciplinary action.
In theory, the officials face a suspension from football of between three months and a year but it is difficult to think that, for example, the person who placed 18 277 bets will escape with such a relatively light punishment.
However, if they are found guilty of criminal charges as part of the prosecutor’s office investigation, such as profiting from a game that they themselves influenced, they could face jail time.
It is worth noting that the Super Lig, Turkey’s top flight, has gone on without interruption, despite these revelations, with two games taking place on Monday.
Why is refereeing in Turkey such a controversial issue?
Refereeing is the single biggest issue in Turkish football, broadly because you will struggle to find a club or group of supporters that don’t believe that officials are biased against them or that the structures of the game in Turkey are arranged against them in some way.
Fenerbahçe threatened to withdraw from the league entirely in March 2024, partly over what they perceived to be unfair decisions against them by match officials.
Twice in the last few years, teams have walked off the pitch in protest against refereeing calls: Istanbulspor vs. Trabzonspor in 2023 and Galatasaray vs. Adana Demirspor last season.
Things reached a nadir in December 2023 when Ankaragucu president, Faruk Koca, stormed onto the pitch at the end of a game and punched a referee, Halil Umut Meler, in the head. In response, all Turkish league games were suspended and Koca was given a lifetime ban from Turkish football. Ankaragucu were also fined £54 000 and ordered to play five games behind closed doors.
Portuguese manager, Jose Mourinho, initially appeared to be right at home in Turkish football when he arrived at Fenerbahçe in July 2024, even complaining at one point that his employers hadn't been emphatic enough about warning him how bad the situation was and that he would never have taken the job had he known the extent of the problems. Mourinho was sacked by the club in August.
Last season, the authorities tried to combat the situation by shipping in referees from abroad — the theory being that if they were from outside Turkey, they wouldn't be affiliated with one club or another, thus eliminating one perceived source of bias and restoring some trust in officialdom. It didn’t work: the VAR in the Galatasaray vs. Adana game that was abandoned was Danish.
Haciosmanoglu, elected as TFF president in 2024 partly on a promise to clean up Turkish football, is an interesting man to be in place for this.
In 2015, while he was Trabzonspor president, he ordered a referee and his assistants to be locked in a room for four hours after a game in which Haciosmanoglu was unhappy that his team hadn't been given a penalty. The officials were only released after a phone call from the president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Haciosmanoglu subsequently said he had done it to protect the officials from Trabzonspor fans, but the TFF fined him and gave him a 280-day ban from football.
This is a shocking revelation, but not a surprising one.
That reflected in an array of official statements. Galatasaray, who are currently top of the Super Lig and aiming for their fourth title in a row, released a statement on Monday in which they said this news, "clearly revealed the extent of the trust and justice crisis that Turkish football has been experiencing for a long time."
Fenerbahçe’s reaction was relatively restrained. "For the credibility of Turkish football to be restored, it is essential that this information is shared openly, without any hesitation or concealment," their statement read. "Otherwise, rebuilding trust within the football community will not be possible."
That said, recently elected club president, Sadettin Saran, stated: "This is proof we were right all along."
Trabzonspor were a little more declamatory, stating that “the extent of the structural decay that we have long been voicing within the refereeing community has been clearly revealed” by these revelations, and that it “has once again been proven how justified our calls have been for years.”
It's absolutely shocking as to the events that have occured. I believe a clear message needs to be sent. That message should be that actions like these shouldn't be accepted. To do this, the people involved need to serve a prison sentence.
Athletes make a lot of money over many years. I don't see the point of them trying to get even more money through illegal means.