The House Education and Workforce Committee, led by Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI), has initiated an inquiry into sports betting following reports of illegal gambling activities involving professional athletes. Walberg sent letters to the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), Major League Baseball Players Association, National Basketball Players Association, National Hockey League Players Association, and Major League Soccer Players Association.
In his communication, Walberg stated: “Recent instances highlight the alarming rise in proprietary information sharing to benefit certain gamblers. These actions eviscerate the integrity of sports and hurt honest, law-abiding athletes. The Committee understands the important role of players’ associations in educating individuals on illegal sports betting practices and seeks to understand how you can better ensure proper conduct among players to safeguard free and fair competition.”
He referenced recent incidents involving former Miami Heat player Terry Rozier and Damon Jones, a former player and assistant coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Both were arrested for allegedly using confidential NBA information to place illegal bets. According to ESPN, gamblers used information from Rozier to wager on seven NBA games during 2023 and 2024. Additionally, two Cleveland Guardians pitchers, Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, were indicted on November 9 for allegedly sharing pitching details with bettors.
Walberg’s letter further stated: “In light of these and other similar scandals, the Committee seeks information from the NFLPA to understand what steps it is taking to ensure the athletes it serves are protected from these unethical actions. By no later than January 31, 2026, the Committee kindly requests that the NFLPA provide information on what actions it has taken or plans to take to curtail players from using proprietary information to skew sports betting.”
The committee’s request aims to gather details about current or planned measures by players’ associations intended to prevent misuse of insider information in sports betting.
