NBA unveils sweeping crackdown on insider leaks and betting tied to federal probe

The NBA on Friday unveiled a sweeping crackdown on insider information leaks and betting-related manipulation after a federal gambling probe that led to multiple arrests, including a current player, a head coach, and a former star. In a memo sent to all teams, league officials outlined six areas for reform aimed at curbing leaks and manipulation, with tight new rules on tanking, injury reporting, and player prop bets, alongside a revamped gambling-education program and protections for personnel against bettor harassment and intimidation.

ESPN reported that the plan emerged after consultations with teams and the NBA Board of Governors. The memo details an injury-reporting overhaul on game days: teams must file injury reports between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. local time, and public updates on NBA.com will be posted every 15 minutes, a substantial tightening from the prior hourly cadence.

The league also aims to address tanking, reviewing draft-pick protections and the draft lottery to deter strategic losses tied to betting markets. The memo signals a broader use of data analytics and education to root out manipulation, with six focal areas including the sharpening of monitoring tools and the protection of personnel from harassment by bettors.

The other elements include restricting the types of prop bets offered on individual players, including limits on wager sizes and heightened scrutiny of under bets. The memo notes that core to the NBA’s position is that sports leagues should control the types of bets offered on their games, and any changes will require negotiations with sportsbook operators, state gaming regulators, or legislative action, or a combination of these avenues.

On the criminal side, Rozier, Billups, and Damon Jones were among 34 people arrested in the October sweep. Prosecutors allege that Rozier and Jones supplied bettors with non-public injury information to gain an edge, while Billups was accused of involvement in a Mafia-led rigged poker ring that prosecutors say defrauded victims of about $7 million. Rozier pleaded not guilty to wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy in a Brooklyn federal court; he was released on a $3 million personal recognizance bond and remains on leave from the Heat, with travel restrictions and other conditions ahead of a March 3 hearing.

The NBA said the review remains ongoing and that input from teams would continue as reforms are refined, with the overarching aim of protecting the integrity of competition in a rapidly changing gambling landscape.