The new season starting for the National Basketball Association (NBA) brings scrutiny by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for allegations related to insider gambling, game-fixing and more. Three notable arrests have already taken place: Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, Portland Trailblazers coach Chauncey Billups and former Cleveland Cavaliers player, now assistant coach Damon Jones.
The investigations connected to this case are called “Operation Nothing But Net” and “Operation Royal Flush”. Operation Nothing But Net alleges that some coaches, like Jones, planned when players, like Rozier, sat out of future games or not, due to other factors such as injuries or illness. They allegedly relied on NBA insiders to place bets worth thousands through online services or casinos.
The other investigation, Operation Royal Flush, was to uncover a scandal that went nationwide. It allegedly involved rigging illegal poker games by using professional athletes to lure victims into playing these games. Prosecutors labeled them “Face Cards”. The people allegedly involved in these games, investigators report, used technology to gain an unfair advantage, such as glasses, hidden cameras and X-ray poker tables.
“I wasn’t very surprised to hear about illegal gambling and game fixing because sports involve a lot of pressure and money, which can lead people to make bad choices,” J’Angelo Ross (11) said.
More suspects involved in the NBA operation include sports influencers and content creators Marves Fairley and Shane Hennen, both of whom are known for their past connections to organized crime. The FBI has come out stating that four of the Five Families: the Genovese, the Lucchese, the Gambino and the Bonnano families were allegedly involved in “Operation Royal Flush” too, implying that this syndicate of game-fixing and insider betting is more widespread and insidious than originally thought. Altogether, eight individuals from these families have been detained by the FBI.
These investigations may continue through the rest of the season, perhaps ramping up during the playoffs this spring. The NBA investigations are also arguably overshadowing other cases at both the collegiate level and in international leagues. Over 20 individuals have been named in investigations looking into the rigging of NCAA basketball and Chinese professional games, with the charges they face being conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and aiding and abetting.
Also under scrutiny is the fact that the NBA also heavily benefits from online betting services, making roughly $160 million in the 2023-2024 season purely from these services, some of which the league itself has partnered with, making up 10% of total advertising per game. Players in the NBA are not allowed to bet on games, as it would constitute the gambling equivalent of insider trading, but there are currently no rules on players betting on other sports where online betting is legal. The FBI has asked multiple teams to hand over their coaches’ and players’ phones, as well as other records that are important to their investigation, such as desktop internet search histories.
“I think the psychological aspect of these coaches and athletes getting involved is tied directly to the science of addiction,” Columbia Heights High School (CHHS) Psychology teacher Mr. Mike Prellwitz said. “With conditions like compulsive gambling or kleptomania (stealing addiction), the money is actually irrelevant. Rather, it’s the thrill and power of getting away with something that is the true reward. It’s a rush of adrenaline, and a chemical high that floods the brain’s pleasure receptors. The brain will crave a repeat of that feeling, and the urge to replicate that same “high” will push even the most well-off individuals into irrational behavior.
This is not just happening in the NBA either, as it has been happening in many other professional leagues. Most notably, two Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers from the Cleveland Guardians are being investigated and have been arrested for fraud, conspiracy and bribery. Luis Ortiz was arrested on November 9 of last year, with Emmanuel Clase following shortly after. Though neither has been convicted yet, they both have received a lifetime ban from the MLB for their allegedly inappropriate conduct.
There’s a closer eye looming over the world of professional sports because of these scandals. All teams and players are affected by this current investigation. With the threat of their team being next under the spotlight, everyone is playing at their best with extremely high scoring output including Anthony Edwards of our Minnesota Timberwolves, who is sixth place currently in scoring averages. As of now, the Timberwolves are looking great for another playoff run, getting people’s hopes up this season. With Rozier making his court appearance and pleading not guilty, it is likely that this case will persist throughout 2026 and throughout the finals. Along with more beneficiaries around the league being plucked from every corner.
