NBA officials met with staff from the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee on November 5, 2025, to discuss the league's gambling partnerships and measures against illegal betting. The briefing follows October arrests of Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, among others, in connection with gambling probes. Adam Silver did not attend the session with committee staffers.
The meeting, which began around 3 p.m. ET and concluded before 4 p.m., involved NBA front office representatives, attorneys, and a league consultant, but excluded Commissioner Adam Silver and any elected officials. It addressed the NBA's relationships with sportsbooks and protocols to prevent the misuse of non-public information, amid scrutiny over recent indictments.
The session stems from a October 28 letter from the committee demanding answers on the 'NBA’s gambling scandal.' In October, federal authorities arrested over 30 individuals, including Billups, Rozier, and former Cleveland Cavaliers player and assistant coach Damon Jones. Billups, arrested on October 23 and released the same day, faces court on November 24. He is accused of participating in an illegal rigged poker game tied to organized crime and sharing information that the Trail Blazers would intentionally lose to the Chicago Bulls on March 24 to improve draft odds, allowing co-conspirators to bet successfully on the Bulls.
Rozier allegedly informed a co-conspirator about his playing time in a game to enable bets on his under, while Jones is said to have leaked injury details, such as Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James missing a contest due to an ankle issue. Both Billups and Rozier were placed on administrative leave by the NBA, with Tiago Splitter named interim coach for the Trail Blazers. The league has pledged to cooperate with authorities, though the briefing's outcomes remain unclear.
Reports indicate the NBA convinced a grand jury to indict Billups, but some question the evidence's strength for conviction.
