Charlotte Hornets guard Terry Rozier is getting destroyed. Among his many accusations, he is accused of conspiring in a sports betting scheme with a childhood friend. The allegations itself center around prop bets on Rozier’s performance. These same-game parlays were made while watching the Boston Celtics play the New Orleans Pelicans on March 23, 2023. Back then, Rozier was still balling for the Hornets. He’d supposedly told co-conspirator Deniro Laster that he was going to retire from the game before the end.
Rozier left the game with a foot injury after playing just over nine minutes. This incident in particular has prompted ongoing federal investigations into illegal gambling operations associated with sports betting and online poker, which resulted in Rozier’s indictment. His arrest is the latest development in that ongoing investigation. The investigation has ensnared Chauncey Billups, coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, who is accused of participating in fixed poker games sponsored by organized crime.
Just four days after Rozier and Billups were collectively indicted, the league acted. They released a joint memo to the 30 teams, explaining the impact gambling could have on professional sports. The sports gaming memo took care to stress that players and coaches must be provided with sufficient education and information to understand the dangers of gambling.
“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,” – NBA memo
At the moment, the NBA is learning a hard lesson on why betting on trust and goodwill is a bad bet. League officials are weighing how to crack down on this expanding trend and what kinds of betting activities will be allowed. Our priority remains on integrity of play and protecting a player’s career from the dangers which gambling presents.
“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,” – NBA memo
The memo highlights concerns regarding proposition bets on individual player performances, noting that these types of bets warrant increased vigilance and scrutiny.
As investigations continue and the league examines its policies, the NBA aims to balance the allure of sports betting with the need to maintain the integrity of the game. What ultimately happens with these innovations will go a long way towards shaping how the league decides to engage with gambling in the future.
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