Congressmen Demand Report from NBA for Alleged Illegal Activities
A group of congressmen has formally requested a briefing from Adam Silver, NBA commissioner, to discuss the “allegations of illegal betting and match-fixing.” This request follows the recent federal investigation involving prominent figures in basketball. Among those mentioned in the investigation are Chauncecy Billups, coach of the Portland Trail Blazers; Terry Rozier, player for the Miami Heat; and Damon Jones, former player and coach in the NBA. The bipartisan letter, signed by six members of the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee, sets October 31 as the deadline for the meeting. The committee, with experience in overseeing consumer protection and sports, has previously investigated issues such as steroid use in baseball and the sexual abuse of Olympic athletes, as stated in the letter. The committee members have requested details regarding the alleged illegal gambling activities related to the NBA, the measures taken by the league to prevent the disclosure of confidential information for illicit purposes, and the effectiveness of the NBA’s code of conduct in preventing such actions by players and coaches. Furthermore, it is questioned whether the league is reconsidering its agreements with sports betting companies. DraftKings and FanDuel are official NBA partners in this area. In the letter, committee members are also seeking to clarify potential deficiencies in current regulations that could facilitate fraudulent gambling activities.The letter highlights that the problem of illegal betting based on non-public information is not new, referencing the case of former NBA referee Tim Donaghy in 2007, and the recent investigation into Jontay Porter, former player for the Toronto Raptors. Donaghy was sentenced to 15 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy and admitting to having bet on games he refereed. Porter admitted to having manipulated his performance in two games in favor of bettors, in the same scheme that involves Rozier and Jones, and is awaiting his sentence.“I think, frankly, there should be more regulation,” Silver stated in an interview. “I wish there was federal legislation instead of state. I think you have to monitor the amount of promotion and advertising that is done in this regard.”
Adam Silver
