NEW YORK: In a dramatic turn of events, federal authorities announced that more than thirty individuals have been arrested in connection with two sprawling schemes of illegal gambling, one centered on rigged high-stakes poker games and another exploiting insider information in sports betting. Among those charged are Chauncey Billups, current head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, and Terry Rozier, guard for the Miami Heat.
Rigged Poker: The High-Tech Underworld Game
The first strand of the case reveals a network of underground poker games dating back to 2019, operating in locations such as Manhattan, Las Vegas, the Hamptons, and Miami. Victims, often wealthy and lured by celebrity endorsements, were invited to play “legitimate” games but were targeted by rigged systems using hidden cameras, tampered shuffling machines, special contact lenses, and even X-ray-style tables.
The operation, allegedly backed by four of New York’s major mob families, including the Bonanno, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese crime families, defrauded participants of at least US$7 million, with some individual losses reported at US$1.8 million in a single night. Coaches, players, and organized crime figures are all tangled in the indictment. Coach Billups is charged with serving as a “face card”, a high-profile name meant to lend credibility and attract wealthy victims. Prosecutors say his involvement included participating in rigged games and recruiting “whales” into the ring.
Insider Sports Betting: Betrayal Within the Game
The second major plotline of the scandal centers on the exploitation of insider information for sports betting, a scheme that hits at the very heart of league integrity. According to the indictment, Terry Rozier and others allegedly provided non-public information about player injuries, game plans, and even personal decisions, which were then used by betting associates to place large prop bets ahead of time. One example cited involved Rozier’s early exit in a 2023 game, which insiders allegedly used to place bets of more than US$200,000.
Authorities compared the scale of wrongdoing to insider trading in the financial markets. The NBA has placed both Billups and Rozier on administrative leave, emphasizing that the “integrity of our game remains our top priority.”
Why This Matters
The phrase illegal gambling is key to understanding the magnitude of the scandal; this is not casual betting gone wrong, but it is an organized network involving fraud, money-laundering, extortion, and overlapping criminal enterprises. The involvement of high-tech rigging in poker games raises the question of how deep and hidden these operations can run, even with the veneer of celebrity participation.
For the NBA and the sports-betting industry at large, this episode opens a new frontier of risk: the booming legalized sports-betting market is now shown to be vulnerable to manipulation and insider collusion. Leagues, betting companies, and regulators will likely face pressure to reform prop-bet rules, tighten disclosure requirements, and monitor for organized-crime infiltration.
What’s Next?
Those arrested face serious federal charges, including wire-fraud conspiracy and money-laundering. The indictments also call for strict sentencing, travel restrictions, and asset freezes for those released on bond, particularly when linked to mob networks.
On the sporting side, the NBA will need to respond with potential bans, suspensions, and stricter league-wide oversight. Betting companies like FanDuel have already issued statements distancing themselves and calling the allegations “deeply disturbing.” Regulators may revisit the extent to which prop bets are permitted and how athlete disclosures are managed.
The Bottom Line
This case goes beyond typical scandals. It is a massive convergence of illegal gambling, organized mafias, high-profile sports figures, and high-tech fraud. With more than thirty arrests and two deeply intertwined schemes exposed, the message is loud and clear: when gambling intersects with insider information, celebrity influence, and illicit networks, the consequences are far-reaching. Sports fans, players, and institutions alike will now be watching the next steps closely.
