A bipartisan coalition of U.S. legislators has requested a briefing from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver by October 31 regarding the league’s handling of an escalating gambling scandal. This controversy has implicated various current and former basketball figures, notably Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier.
On Friday, six members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce reached out to Silver, seeking information about the NBA’s connections with sports betting organizations to “support the Committee’s oversight.” This follows federal indictments recently disclosed by the Eastern District of New York, involving Billups, Rozier, and ex-NBA player Damon Jones in two separate gambling inquiries, as reported by CNN.
The legislators inquired whether Silver could shed light on “alleged betting practices concerning NBA players, coaches, and officials,” elaborate on the league’s preventive measures against “illegal activities” tied to insider information, and evaluate whether its code of conduct is sufficient to deter unlawful behavior.
They also requested clarification on “whether and how the NBA is reassessing its agreements with sports betting firms,” such as DraftKings and FanDuel, emphasizing the need to identify loopholes in “current regulations that permit illegal betting operations.”
The committee expressed that the allegations “raise significant concerns about the integrity of sports betting and the reputation of the NBA, which adversely affects fans and legitimate sports bettors.” It pointed out that it has previously investigated issues ranging from steroid use in Major League Baseball to anti-doping policies and athlete safety in the Olympic Games.
The letter highlighted that “illegal sports betting based on non-public information within the NBA is an ongoing concern,” referencing the 2007 case of referee Tim Donaghy and an ongoing investigation into Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter.
In his first public remarks on the matter, Silver expressed, “I was deeply troubled” by the revelations and felt “a sense of unease.” Speaking during a Boston Celtics–New York Knicks broadcast on Amazon Prime Video, he remarked: “The integrity of the competition is paramount for the league and its fans… It was quite distressing.”
During an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Silver advocated for stricter regulation of sports betting, stating, “I wish there were federal legislation rather than piecemeal state laws,” and mentioned that “We’ve instructed some of our partners to limit certain prop bets.”
Jim Trusty, representing Rozier, contested the allegations against his client, affirming that prosecutors have characterized him as “a subject of their investigation, not a target.”