Sports Gambling Scandals: A Timeline of Major Controversies

In recent years, the sports world has been rocked by a series of gambling scandals. Each one seems more shocking than the last.

Since the Supreme Court’s 2018 decision allowing states to regulate sports betting, athletes, coaches, and team staff have landed in hot water over illegal betting. The latest scandal? Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier got arrested in a sweeping federal investigation.

This blog post digs into the history of these scandals. Let’s look at the most notable cases and what they mean for the sports industry.

The Supreme Court Decision and Its Impact

In May 2018, the Supreme Court ruled that states could regulate sports betting. That decision changed the landscape of sports gambling in the United States forever.

Now, sports gambling is legal and regulated in 38 states, plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Sure, this opened up new revenue streams for states and leagues, but it also led to a spike in gambling-related controversies.

Initial Scandals Post-2018 Decision

One of the first big scandals after the Supreme Court ruling involved NFL player Josh Shaw. In November 2019, officials suspended Shaw for betting on NFL games while he was injured.

This was the first time an active player got suspended for gambling on games since the ruling. That case set a precedent and made it clear that strict regulations were necessary to prevent more incidents.

MLS and NFL: More Players Under Scrutiny

In October 2021, MLS suspended Sporting KC midfielder Felipe Hernandez for betting on MLS games. Hernandez even admitted he feared for his safety because of gambling debts.

The NFL had its own problems. In March 2022, the league suspended Atlanta Falcons receiver Calvin Ridley for betting on games, including his own team’s. Ridley later called it the worst mistake of his life.

Coaches and Staff: Not Immune to Scandal

Players aren’t the only ones caught up in these scandals. In December 2022, the NFL suspended New York Jets wide receivers coach Miles Austin for violating the league’s Gambling Policy.

Austin didn’t bet on NFL games, but he still broke the rules. In May 2023, Alabama fired baseball coach Brad Bohannon after he got linked to betting activity on an LSU-Alabama game.

Institutional Responses and Probes

The problem isn’t just about individuals. In May 2023, both Iowa and Iowa State started investigating dozens of athletes for suspected NCAA sports betting violations.

These probes really show how widespread the issue is. Schools and leagues are struggling to enforce compliance, and it doesn’t look like that’s getting easier anytime soon.

Recent High-Profile Cases

The last two years have brought even more high-profile cases. In April 2024, the NBA banned Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter for life after finding he manipulated his performance to control prop bets.

Just two months later, MLB banned San Diego Padres player Tucupita Marcano for life for betting on his own team’s games. It’s hard not to wonder how many more names will pop up.

Legal Consequences and Sentencing

The legal fallout from these scandals has been serious. In March 2024, a court sentenced former Jacksonville Jaguars employee Amit Patel to six and a half years in prison for stealing $22 million from the team to cover gambling losses.

The Los Angeles Dodgers fired Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, who later got 57 months in federal prison for stealing nearly $17 million to pay off sports gambling debts.

Ongoing Investigations and Future Implications

These scandals just keep coming. In 2025 alone, several new cases have surfaced.

In October, authorities arrested NBA figures Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier as part of a federal investigation into illegal betting. Billups faces indictment over an alleged scheme to defraud poker players, while Rozier stands accused of leaving a game on purpose to help a co-conspirator win a bet.