The NBA sent out a leaguewide memo Friday informing teams that it plans policy changes to prevent injury information from being leaked and used by sports bettors after current and former players were indicted in October as part of a federal investigation into illegal gambling.
Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and former NBA player Damon Jones have both been accused of sharing injury information with bettors, who then allegedly used the tips to place prop bets or sold that information to other bettors.
The NBA told teams that it will make several changes to its injury reporting policies, including requiring teams to submit multiple injury reports on game days between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. (though not on the second night of back-to-back games). The NBA will also update public injury reports on its website every 15 minutes (those reports are currently updated every hour).
The league said it has also reviewed its policies around tanking and the incentives involved. The memo said part of the review includes potential changes to draft pick protections and changing its drafty lottery rules. The review remains ongoing.
The NBA told teams in the memo that it will “advocate” for restrictions on prop betting and will talk to industry stakeholders like sports betting companies. Part of the changes the league said are under consideration are limits on under bets, a maximum amount that can be wagered on player props, limiting which kinds of players can be subject to prop bets, and getting rid of what it calls “problematic bet types” like ones that can be determined by one play.
“Core to the NBA’s position is that sports leagues should have control over the types of bets offered on their games,” the memo said. “Because leagues currently do not have such control, any changes will need to be pursued via negotiation with sports betting operations, requests to state gaming regulators, legislative action, or some combination of these avenues.”
Federal prosecutors charged Rozier, Jones and four others in October with having used inside information to help a number of sports gamblers to wager on Rozier’s prop bets and on other NBA teams. Rozier is alleged to have told a friend that he would come out of a March 2023 game early while he was still with the Charlotte Hornets; that friend, Deniro Laster, then allegedly sold that information.
Jones allegedly used his role and presence around the Los Angeles Lakers to sell injury information on players to bettors. An unnamed co-conspirator who description closely matches suspended Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups was described by the indictment as telling a named defendant that the Blazers would sit starters as part of a tanking effort. Billups has been indicted in a separate federal gambling case.
Rozier, Jones and Laster have all pleaded not guilty during appearances at a Brooklyn federal courthouse against the charges brought against them by the US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.