The world of professional basketball has been rocked by a scandal of monumental proportions, one that has left fans, players, and league officials reeling from the sheer scale of corruption unveiled.

On October 23, 2025, FBI agents conducted a historic crackdown across 11 states, arresting over 30 individuals, including some of the most prominent figures in NBA history.

Dubbed “Nothing But NET,” this operation exposed a sprawling criminal enterprise that intertwined insider sports betting and mafia-backed poker rings, generating tens of millions of dollars in illicit revenue.

The scope of the investigation is staggering.

It revealed two interconnected schemes that exploited the trust placed in professional basketball’s integrity.

The first was an insider sports betting ring, where players, coaches, and other NBA insiders leaked confidential information about injuries, game strategies, and tanking plans.

This information was used to place bets with ruthless precision, ensuring guaranteed profits for the conspirators.

The second scheme involved rigged high-stakes poker games backed by four notorious crime families—the Banano, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese organizations.

These games targeted wealthy victims, utilizing cutting-edge technology like marked decks and hidden cameras to ensure the outcomes were manipulated in favor of the operators.

Among the arrested were Hall of Famer and Portland Trailblazers head coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, and former player-turned-coach Damon Jones.

Billups allegedly participated in rigged poker games and provided insider information about his team’s tanking strategies.

Rozier was accused of sharing non-public details about injuries and game exits, while Jones faced charges for selling insider information and participating in the poker operations.

The allegations against these individuals paint a grim picture of corruption that has infiltrated the league at every level.

The insider betting ring operated with chilling efficiency.

Between December 2022 and March 2024, conspirators used non-public information to place bets on specific game elements, such as player performance or early exits due to injuries.

For example, Rozier allegedly exited a game after just nine minutes, citing a foot injury, which allowed bets on his underperformance to hit perfectly.

Another instance involved Billups sharing tanking plans, enabling conspirators to bet on the Trailblazers losing by a significant margin.

These schemes exploited trust and manipulated outcomes, all while maintaining a facade of legitimacy.

The poker operation, on the other hand, delves into even darker territory.

Over 50 gaming sessions were held in exclusive locations, with buy-ins ranging from $100,000 to $1 million.

Wealthy victims were lured by the presence of NBA celebrities, who lent an air of legitimacy to the games.

Advanced technology, including rigged card shufflers and marked decks, ensured the operators could control the outcomes.

The mafia families provided enforcement, money laundering expertise, and muscle, threatening victims who couldn’t pay their debts or dared to expose the operation.

The fallout from this scandal is immense.

The NBA, which has built billion-dollar partnerships with betting companies like DraftKings and FanDuel, now faces scrutiny over its ties to the gambling industry.

Ticket sales have plummeted for implicated teams, merchandise sales for accused players have nosedived, and the league’s reputation is in tatters.

The financial implications extend beyond the league itself, with stocks of gambling companies taking a hit and regulators reevaluating the industry’s oversight.

The scandal has also reignited debates about the relationship between professional sports and gambling.

Commissioner Adam Silver, once a vocal advocate for legalized sports betting, now calls for stricter federal oversight to prevent further corruption.

The NBA has implemented policy changes, including mandatory gambling education programs, expanded monitoring of betting data, and stricter controls on injury reports.

However, the damage to public trust may take years to repair.

Historically, professional sports have grappled with gambling scandals, from the 1919 Black Sox incident to the lifetime ban of Pete Rose in baseball.

The NBA itself faced a similar crisis in 2007 with referee Tim Donaghy’s betting scandal.

These events highlight the vulnerabilities within sports leagues and the need for robust safeguards against corruption.

The human cost of this scandal is perhaps the most tragic.

Careers have been destroyed, reputations tarnished, and lives irreversibly altered.

The accused individuals now face decades of imprisonment if convicted, while the league must navigate the delicate balance between accountability and preserving its integrity.

The NBA Players Association has criticized the rush to judgment, emphasizing the principle of presumption of innocence until proven guilty.

Looking ahead, the NBA and other professional leagues will likely implement stricter controls on gambling activities, increase transparency, and reevaluate their partnerships with betting companies.

Federal involvement in regulating sports betting may become more aggressive, with proposals for new oversight agencies and comprehensive monitoring systems.

The relationship between sports and gambling will undoubtedly undergo significant changes, as leagues strive to restore trust and protect the integrity of their competitions.

This scandal marks the end of an era for the NBA, one of unchecked growth and seemingly unlimited potential.

As the dust settles, the league must confront the challenges ahead and work tirelessly to rebuild its reputation and ensure that such corruption can never take root again.

The future of professional basketball hangs in the balance, and only time will tell whether the sport can recover from this dark chapter in its history.