U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chairman Ted Cruz and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell have initiated an inquiry into the National Basketball Association (NBA) following allegations of gambling-related corruption involving players and coaches.
The senators sent a letter to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after federal prosecutors charged current and former NBA figures with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. The indictment alleges that those involved used confidential information for betting on NBA games, with some players accused of influencing outcomes to benefit wagers. Another indictment points to possible connections between certain league members and organized crime. News reports indicate the NBA conducted its own investigation into Miami Heat player Terry Rozier regarding gambling allegations but found no rule violations.
“This is a matter of Congressional concern,” wrote Cruz and Cantwell. “The integrity of NBA games must be trustworthy and free from the influence of organized crime or gambling-related activity. Sports betting scandals like this one may lead the American public to assume that all sports are corrupt. As Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over professional sports, and as dedicated basketball fans, we want to ensure the NBA is protecting the integrity of the sport.”
The letter notes that while there are no accusations against the NBA itself for fixing games, questions remain about how it handles such incidents. The committee’s probe aims to ensure transparency in league investigations so that fans can trust game results.
According to public records referenced by the senators, Rozier was indicted on October 16, 2025, along with Damon Jones—a former player and coach—on charges related to using nonpublic information for profit through bets on games or specific player performances. In one instance before a March 23, 2023 game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Rozier allegedly told friends he would remove himself due to injury; acquaintances then placed successful bets based on this information.
A similar scenario occurred during a March 24, 2023 game involving Co-Conspirator 8—reported as Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups—who allegedly shared insider knowledge about team strategy affecting game outcomes for betting purposes. Another case cited involves Damon Jones providing injury status updates about prominent players before official announcements.
While these indictments highlight individual actions rather than systemic issues within the league itself, they raise concerns about broader vulnerabilities in professional sports oversight.
NBA rules prohibit participants from betting on games or engaging in activities that could alter results unfairly. In April 2024, Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter was banned for life after tipping off associates about his health status ahead of a match—a scheme reportedly similar to those now under scrutiny—and later pleaded guilty to federal charges.
Despite reports that an internal investigation cleared Rozier in connection with suspicious betting around last year’s game against New Orleans, Cruz and Cantwell stressed their need for clarity: “This Committee needs to understand the specifics of the NBA’s investigation and why Rozier was cleared to continue playing basketball.”
The senators requested detailed documentation from January 1, 2020 onward regarding league policies on gambling among players or staff; lists of investigations conducted; findings from those inquiries; communications with sports betting platforms; steps taken by the NBA in response; any changes planned; efforts addressing potential links between personnel and organized crime; as well as materials related specifically to Terry Rozier’s case.
Cruz and Cantwell cited their committee’s authority under Senate rules “to ‘review and study…issues relating to sports and commerce’” as grounds for seeking answers by November 10, 2025.
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