Copyright dailycaller
You may have already heard of the sports betting scandal that has rocked the NBA. Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups was recently arrested following an FBI investigation into alleged connections with organized crime activities. Miami Heat’s star guard, Terry Rozier, alongside former NBA player Damon Jones, were similarly detained. The charges against Billups are tied to poker-related gambling activities, while Rozier’s arrest is linked to gambling operations within the NBA. Jones faces allegations of providing co-defendants with insider information to place bets on NBA games. Most notably, Billups is reportedly linked to illegal poker games associated with multiple mafia families in New York. (Subscribe to MR. RIGHT, a free weekly newsletter about modern masculinity) FBI Director Patel: “Individuals such as Chauncey Billups, Damon Jones and Terry Rozier were taking into custody today, former,current NBA players and coaches…this is an illegal gambling operation and sports rigging operation that spanned the course of years.” pic.twitter.com/L5vLj1XtvM — CSPAN (@cspan) October 23, 2025 Not only does this scandal taint the NBA and the sport of basketball, it is also a harbinger of what is to come. How many other illegal gambling operations are secretly destroying our professional leagues? How many of our star athletes are throwing games, purposely missing shots, purposely dropping balls, because there is shady money involved? Probably more than we would care to know. This is only the beginning. Meanwhile, in the halls of Congress, we may be seeing a renewed bipartisan push to tackle sports betting and prop bets, which allow gamblers to bet on a player’s individual statistics during a game. “The temptation for athletes, seasoned coaches, and professional officials to adjust performances is real. Sadly, scandals are becoming more and more frequent,” Democratic Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin aptly said. “Congress, states, and sports leagues must all work to maintain the integrity of sports and prevent future sports betting scandals.” Republican Alabama Sen. Katie Boyd Britt’s office has indicated that she is “open” to a sports betting crackdown, according to The Washington Post. Washington Republican Rep. Michael Baumgartner also recently introduced a bill to restrict prop betting in college sports, telling the outlet that “the world of prop bets has opened up a lot of potential for illegal activity and issues that can threaten games.” This is all good news, but let’s face it. Congress is practically useless when it comes to enacting smart regulations or passing laws that actually help Americans. They can’t even ban stock trading among members of Congress, one of the most popular bipartisan issues in the country. So, the crackdown will have to come from the Executive Branch and President Trump. Congress will sit around as always, pretending its hands are tied. Big Gambling will send its lobbying drones to Washington to wine and dine lawmakers. And the integrity of college and professional sports will continue to erode. Worse yet, more lives will be ruined thanks to gambling addictions. I fear that only the Executive Branch and Trump can do anything about it. And it’s time. Time to Make Sports Great Again.
