FBI NBA Gambling Investigation: Over 30 Arrests in Nationwide Crackdown
Federal agents are calling it one of the biggest gambling busts in decades. FBI investigators uncovered deep ties between basketball insiders, underground poker networks, and organized crime across 11 states.
The operation led to more than 30 arrests this week, including current and former NBA figures accused of leaking inside information for bets and taking part in mafia-backed poker games rigged with advanced technology.
The sports betting case has also exposed deeper ties between pro basketball insiders, underground poker rooms, and organized crime.
Inside the FBI NBA Gambling Investigation
Federal officials say the crackdown traces back to two connected cases: Operation Nothing But Net and Operation Royal Flush. This uncovered a network linking NBA insiders, underground poker rooms, and organized crime.
The first centers on a sports-betting ring accused of using inside information from players and coaches to place large prop bets before the public had any clue. Investigators allege Terry Rozier, Damon Jones, and Chauncey Billups were among those tied to the scheme.
The second, Operation Royal Flush, targets a nationwide poker ring backed by members of the Genovese and Bonanno crime families. The FBI says the group used rigged shufflers and hidden cameras to cheat players out of high-stakes pots. Together, the two investigations show how insider access and organized crime crossed paths in the same high-stakes arena.
How the Sports-Betting Scheme Worked
The FBI says a group of gamblers used private injury and lineup information from NBA insiders to place large prop bets before the public caught on. It was a key example in the sports betting case. Prosecutors allege Terry Rozier told associates he’d leave a March 23, 2023, game early with an injury. That tip sparked more than $200,000 in wagers on his unders. He exited after nine minutes, and the bets hit big.
Former player Damon Jones is accused of acting as the middleman between players and betting groups, with wagers tied to games involving the Hornets, Trail Blazers, Lakers, and Raptors.
Inside the Underground Poker Network
The second investigation, Operation Royal Flush, exposed a nationwide network of illegal poker rooms allegedly backed by mafia families. Organizers ran games out of luxury homes and private clubs in Manhattan, Miami, Las Vegas, and the Hamptons, using advanced tech to control outcomes. According to the FBI, the setups included altered shufflers linked to off-site operators, hidden cameras and x-ray tables that exposed hole cards, and special lenses designed to read marked decks.
Victims (often drawn in by familiar names like Billups and Jones) lost more than $7 million, including one player who dropped $1.8 million in a single game. In one instance, suspects allegedly robbed a victim at gunpoint just to steal a rigged shuffler.
Who’s Been Charged
So far, federal agents arrested more than 30 people, including 13 known members of the La Cosa Nostra crime family. The indictments list charges such as illegal gambling, wire fraud, money laundering, and extortion.
- Chauncey Billups - charged in connection with the poker-cheating operation.
- Terry Rozier - charged in the insider-betting case.
- Damon Jones - charged in both schemes.
The Department of Justice said investigators spent four years building both cases. The probe involved thousands of hours of surveillance and more than two dozen search warrants.
The NBA Responds
In a statement, the NBA said it is “aware of the ongoing investigation” and is cooperating with federal authorities. The NBA placed Billups and Rozier on administrative leave while the cases continue to move forward.
League officials plan to review internal betting policies. That includes how teams handle player information and engage with licensed sportsbooks.
A Wake-Up Call for Sports Integrity
The arrests drive home how thin the line has become between professional sports and the betting world that surrounds it. With legal wagering now part of everyday sports culture, insiders like players, coaches, and agents sit closer than ever to information that can move markets in seconds.
This case shows what happens when insiders abuse that access. It also shows how quickly it can turn into a criminal enterprise. The poker side raises more questions, showing how easily the wrong people with the right technology can rig private games.
What Comes Next
Prosecutors have sent both cases to federal courts in New York and Florida, seeking long sentences for those tied to the sports betting case. Investigators say their work isn’t over, with more connections between players, agents, and betting groups coming to light. The fallout from the FBI NBA gambling investigation could reshape how leagues handle insider access, especially around prop bets tied to player performance. Regulators also plan to take a closer look at how sportsbooks monitor unusual betting activity linked to private information.
This story is still developing. Stay tuned for more updates and read our other poker news and features.
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