The National Basketball Association (NBA) has announced significant changes to its injury reporting policies in response to recent allegations of illegal sports betting involving current and former players. This decision follows an indictment in October 2023, where players like Terry Rozier of the Miami Heat and former player Damon Jones were accused of leaking injury information to gamblers, who allegedly used this insider data to place prop bets.
In a leaguewide memo distributed on Friday, the NBA outlined its intentions to tighten oversight of injury disclosures. A crucial aspect of the new policy requires teams to submit multiple injury reports on game days between 11:00 and 13:00, except during back-to-back games. This is a shift from the previous hourly updates, as the league aims to enhance transparency and minimize the risk of information exploitation. Additionally, public injury reports on the NBA’s official website will now be updated every 15 minutes.
The memo also indicates a comprehensive review of existing league policies regarding tanking and associated incentives. This review could lead to modifications in draft pick protections and changes to the draft lottery rules. The NBA emphasizes that the review is ongoing and aims to address various aspects of competitive integrity within the league.
To further combat the potential for betting abuse, the NBA plans to advocate for restrictions on prop betting. The league intends to engage with stakeholders in the sports betting industry, including betting companies, to explore various changes. Potential measures being considered include limits on under bets, capping the maximum amount wagered on player props, and restricting which players can be subjected to prop bets. The NBA also aims to eliminate what it describes as “problematic bet types,” particularly those determined by a single play.
The NBA’s memo highlights that, currently, sports leagues lack control over the types of bets available on their games. It states, “Core to the NBA’s position is that sports leagues should have control over the types of bets offered on their games.” Implementing these changes will require negotiations with sports betting operations, requests to state gaming regulators, legislative action, or a combination of these approaches.
The federal probe implicated Rozier, Jones, and four others, alleging they used insider information to assist gamblers in betting on Rozier’s performances and other NBA teams. Notably, Rozier is accused of informing a friend that he would exit a game early in March 2023 while playing for the Charlotte Hornets. This friend, Deniro Laster, allegedly sold that information to bettors. Similarly, Jones is said to have leveraged his connections with the Los Angeles Lakers to share injury updates with bettors.
Among the individuals mentioned in the indictment is an unnamed co-conspirator described in a manner closely resembling Chauncey Billups, the suspended coach for the Portland Trail Blazers. The indictment suggests that this figure informed a defendant that the Blazers would rest their starters as part of a tanking strategy. Billups himself faces charges in a separate federal gambling case.
Both Rozier and Jones, along with Laster, have pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them by the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York during their court appearances in Brooklyn. The NBA’s updated policies reflect a growing concern over the intersection of sports, gambling, and integrity, as leagues navigate the complexities of a rapidly evolving betting landscape.
