Despite NBA Scandal, Sports’ Gambling Habit Will Be Hard to Break
An NBA gambling scandal has fueled fears of sports betting running amok. But kicking the gambling habit will be hard for leagues and sports media.
The 2025–26 NBA season kicked off this week with loads to get excited about: new broadcasts from NBC’s Peacock and Amazon Prime Video, a blockbuster double-overtime opening matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets, and a career-defining 40-point game by rising star Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs.
But all of that was overshadowed in the wee hours of Thursday morning, as FBI agents around the country arrested dozens of individuals allegedly involved in a pair of overlapping illegal gambling schemes. Among those arrested were Chauncey Billups, a Hall of Fame former NBA player and current coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, as well as Terry Rozier, a guard for the Miami Heat, both of whom had launched their seasons mere hours before the agents cuffed them (both men disputed the charges).