The 2025-2026 NBA season was underway for mere hours before the first major scandal broke. It involves illegal gambling. Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups has reportedly been arrested on Thursday morning by the FBI for alleged illegal gambling. Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier has also been arrested.
The Trail Blazers lost their opening game on Wednesday night in Portland to the Minnesota Timberwolves by the score of 118-114.
ABC is reporting that Billups’ charges stem from an illegal poker operation tied to the Mafia.
Rozier did not play in the Heat’s opening game on the road against the Orlando Magic due to the coach’s decision. The Heat lost 125-121.
Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups has been arrested by the FBI for alleged illegal gambling, sources tell ESPN.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 23, 2025
Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was arrested early Thursday morning as part of an FBI sports betting gambling probe, sources tell ESPN. The Eastern District of New York and FBI director Kash Patel will hold a press conference at 10 am ET to announce arrests from investigation.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 23, 2025
Law enforcement sources told ABC that Rozier is charged “for turning professional basketball into a criminal gambling operation by using inside information to place unlawful wagers.” Former Cleveland Cavaliers player and assistant coach Damon Jones is also reportedly charged for similar conduct.
FBI director Kash Patel will be conducting a 10 AM EDT news conference to provide more information.
Malik Beasley, the former Detroit Piston, is also under investigation, and it is not clear if he is somehow connected, implicated, or cleared by the latest arrests.
Trajan Langdon on a Malik Beasley update
For his sake, I really hope he can get cleared, but he’s obviously still under investigation.
Via @971theticketxyt pic.twitter.com/98bpOYxVTo
— Anthony (@anthonyjc92) October 22, 2025
There has been mention of six arrests so it is unclear who else could be arrested or involved. Patel will likely clarify at his news conference.
The Blurred Line Between Sports And Sports Betting
With the internet, it is possible to make wagers anytime from anywhere. All of the major sports networks have sportsbook sponsors and odds are frequently shared and discussed. The NBA is sponsored by DraftKings and FanDuel.
What are we going to see in between the segments on sports shows – TV and radio – where they talk about this gambling scandal? Commercials for DraftKings. Or FanDuel. https://t.co/KWjG8PaG3B
— Levi Fishman (@levifishman) October 23, 2025
The first big betting scandal focused on MLB superstar player and manager Pete Rose.
Rose’s legacy was muddied by various assertions of what he betted on. In the end, he was banned from baseball and is not a member of the MLB Hall of Fame because of the scandal for this reason.
