An NBA memo sent to all 30 teams discussed the “dire risks of gambling,” as well how the league will reassess its approach to legal sports betting.
The memo comes after Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups were arrested and indicted last week as part of a federal investigation into gambling schemes involving sports betting and poker.
“While the unusual betting on Terry Rozier’s ‘unders’ in the March 2023 game was detected in real time because the bets were placed legally, we believe there is more that can be done from a legal/regulatory perspective to protect the integrity of the NBA and our affiliated leagues,” the memo states. “In particular, proposition bets on individual player performance involve heightened integrity concerns and require additional scrutiny.”
The memo also discussed ways the league is enhancing its monitoring programs to “synthesize all available data from betting operators, social media, and other sources to identify betting activity of concern.”
The memo then laid out a game plan on the league will deal with the sports betting landscape moving forward.
“With sports betting now occupying such a significant part of the current sports landscape, every effort must be made to ensure that players, coaches and other NBA personnel are fully aware of the dire risks that gambling can impose upon their careers and livelihoods; that our injury disclosure rules are appropriate; and that players are protected from harassment from bettors,” said the memo.
