The more the news broke, the wilder the story became. That’s what happened this week when the federal government began arresting NBA players and coaches involved in a gambling investigation.
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups—who was elected to the NBA Hall of Fame last year—and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier were arrested as part of an FBI sports-gambling and illegal underground poker probe.
In addition to those two former Cleveland Cavaliers player and assistant coach Damon Jones was also arrested. The arrests are linked to two separate cases: one involving sports gambling, and the other an illegal poker operation.
Rozier was named in the sports gambling indictment, Billups in the poker operation, which involved several organized crime families. Jones is one of three defendants named in both cases.
The sports gambling world was rocked by the news, but it didn’t seem to shock many. Professionals across the sports betting industry weighed in on social media and in interviews, and few appeared surprised by the allegations. In fact, videos have surfaced of the alleged games involving Rozier, and the video evidence is described as egregious.
For most insiders, this is just the beginning, with many expecting additional layers to the story. The FBI has already contacted the league as their net widens to determine what officials knew—or could have done. The NBA conducted its own investigation into similar allegations last year and found nothing.
The second concern centers on the illegal poker ring. FBI reports have linked the operation to the mafia, with claims that “rigged” games used devices such as sunglasses capable of seeing through cards. Billups allegedly lured high-stakes players to these games, among other charges.
This two-part investigation focuses on gambling as a whole—not just sports betting—and appears to be only the tip of the iceberg.