The NBA is reviewing its integrity and information-sharing policies following last week’s indictments that tied active players, coaches and former league personnel to a federal gambling investigation, according to a league memo obtained by ESPN.
The memo, sent Monday to all 30 teams, said the league is “reviewing policies regarding injury reporting, training and education of all personnel, and enhancing internal and external monitoring programs to identify betting activity of concern.”
The federal indictments, which prosecutors described as “insider trading in professional basketball,” implicated multiple figures with ties to the NBA, including Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, Heat guard Terry Rozier, and former Cavaliers assistant coach Damon Jones.
The cases have renewed questions about the sufficiency of the NBA’s internal controls, its relationships with betting operators, and the safeguards surrounding injury disclosures.
NBA betting policies under review
In the memo, league officials acknowledged the detection of unusual betting on Rozier’s player props during a March 2023 Hornets–Pelicans game “in real time because the bets were placed legally,” but said the episode highlighted the need for stronger safeguards.
“We believe there is more that can be done from a legal and regulatory perspective to protect the integrity of the NBA and our affiliated leagues,” the memo read. “In particular, proposition bets on individual player performance involve heightened integrity concerns and require additional scrutiny.”
The review will encompass how injuries are disclosed, how employees are trained on betting rules, and how data is shared with sportsbooks and integrity partners.
The NBA said it would also reexamine third-party access to players and staff, an issue already under heightened scrutiny after revelations that non-team personnel had obtained injury information used for betting purposes.
Congress requests briefing with Silver
On Friday, six members of the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce sent a bipartisan letter to Commissioner Adam Silver requesting a briefing by Friday on the league’s response to “allegations of illegal gambling and sports rigging.”
The committee, which oversees consumer protection and sports, asked for details on:
- Actions the NBA has taken “to limit the disclosure of non-public information for illegal purposes.”
- Whether the league’s code of conduct effectively deters gambling-related misconduct.
- Whether the NBA is “reevaluating the terms of its partnerships with sports betting companies,” including official partners DraftKings and FanDuel.
The letter also requested clarification on potential “gaps in existing regulations that allow for fraudulent betting activity,” and cited previous committee investigations into doping, athlete safety, and the 2007 case of referee Tim Donaghy, who served prison time for betting on games he officiated.
Silver: ‘there should be more regulation‘
Silver addressed the issue on The Pat McAfee Show Tuesday, saying the league supports stronger oversight of the sports betting industry.
“I think, probably, there should be more regulation, frankly,” Silver said. “I wish there was federal legislation rather than state by state. I think you’ve got to monitor the amount of promotion, the amount of advertising around it.”
The NBA continues to work with law enforcement and integrity monitors to track betting activity, he said, but he called for a more consistent national framework to prevent manipulation and to address fan behavior tied to gambling losses.
Celltics player goes on record about NBA betting concerns
Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown, a vice president of the National Basketball Players Association, said the NBA needs to do more to protect players from the effects of widespread sports betting.
“It creates a negative discourse around the game and players when people have money involved,” Brown said Friday at Madison Square Garden ahead of a matchup with the Knicks. “It’s leading to situations we can avoid if more conversations were had right now.”
Brown said the union has not had “enough conversation” with the league about mitigating player safety and mental health risks associated with gambling exposure. He noted that while Rozier — his former Celtics teammate — is “not conducive of that character,” the incident underscores the need for stronger proactive measures.
“League security works with team officials and law enforcement to respond to any type of fan behavior that violates our code of conduct,” NBA spokesperson Mike Bass said. “We’ve put safeguards in place, including social media monitoring, to track and mitigate potential threats or safety risks.”
