On May 14, 2018, the United States Supreme Court overturned the federal law that had limited legal sports betting primarily to Nevada for 26 years. This was a landmark decision for two cherished American pastimes: sports and gambling.
States quickly moved to launch and tax legal sports betting markets, and professional leagues rapidly formed partnerships with betting companies. Six years later, 39 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have legal betting markets, with bettors wagering over $330 billion through state-sponsored sportsbooks. However, as betting has grown, so have related controversies.
In the past two years, numerous professional and university athletes and coaches have been suspended or fired for gambling violations. At least one bettor pleaded guilty to obstruction in a college baseball scandal. Early 2024 saw investigations into suspicious betting on Temple men`s basketball and prop bets involving Raptors` Jontay Porter. The NBA banned Porter for life after finding he disclosed confidential information, limited his play, and bet on NBA games while in the G League. The industry and leagues argue the legal system is effective, with increased visibility helping detect anomalies, but violations, including players betting on their own sports, persist.
Meanwhile, the underground betting market continues to thrive, with unlicensed bookmakers offering credit and attracting clients seeking anonymity. Ippei Mizuhara, former interpreter for Shohei Ohtani, was fired in March for using such a bookie and later surrendered to authorities after being accused of stealing over $16 million from Ohtani`s account. With large states like California and Texas yet to legalize sports betting, the U.S. market has significant growth potential and strong public interest. The ultimate size of the market is uncertain, but it`s likely safe to bet on the continuation of controversies.
2018
May 14, 2018: Supreme Court strikes down federal prohibitions on sports gambling
The United States Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to strike down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act — a 1992 law barring state-authorized sports gambling (Nevada had been primarily the only exception). The ruling, which ended a nearly six-year legal battle, opened the door for any state interested in legalizing sports gambling to do so.
2019
Nov. 29, 2019: NFL suspends Josh Shaw indefinitely
Josh Shaw was the first active player, though on injured reserve, to be suspended for betting on league games. He bet openly at a sportsbook in Las Vegas against his own team at the time, the Arizona Cardinals, as part of a parlay.
2020
Sept. 8, 2020: University of Colorado signs sponsorship deal with Denver-based PointsBet
The five-year deal between Colorado and PointsBet permitted the sports betting operator to display signs at Colorado`s football stadium and basketball arena as well as have ads on other media such as radio broadcasts.
2021
May 26, 2021: Capital One Arena in Washington becomes the first professional sports arena in the U.S. with a fully operational sportsbook
Monumental Sports, the owner of the Washington Wizards, Washington Mystics, and Washington Capitals, agreed to a 10-year lease with William Hill Sportsbook.
Oct. 8, 2021: Sporting KC`s Felipe Hernandez suspended for betting on MLS games
An independent investigation launched in July 2021 found Hernandez had engaged in `extensive and unlawful sports gambling` while a member of Sporting Kansas City, including gambling on MLS games. Hernandez had informed the team about his gambling on July 5, telling it he was worried about his personal safety because of the debts he had accumulated.
2022
March 7, 2022: NFL suspends Calvin Ridley for one year
Ridley, an Atlanta Falcons receiver at the time, was suspended for at least the entirety of the 2022 season after the NFL determined he had gambled on games during a five-day stretch in November 2021 while on the non-football injury list. Sources reported that the stretch included multilegged parlay bets that included the Falcons to win. He was reinstated in March 2023.
Dec. 23, 2022: New York Jets WR coach Miles Austin suspended for one year
Miles Austin, the Jets` wide receiver coach, was suspended for at least one year for violating the NFL`s gambling policy. The league had opened an investigation into Austin after finding out he was gambling on sports — not on NFL games or college football — which violates the NFL personnel gambling policy.
2023
Jan. 19, 2023: UFC tightens gambling rules, hires integrity firm amid investigations into suspicious gambling activity before fight
The UFC added stricter language about wagering in its fight code of conduct and hired U.S. Integrity, a sports wagering monitoring firm. The change stemmed from suspicious betting patterns related to a UFC fight between Darrick Minner and Shayilan Nuerdanbieke.
March 29, 2023: University of Colorado and PointsBet end partnership three years early
Colorado and SportsBet announced in a joint statement it was `mutually beneficial` to end their partnership after nearly three years. One day prior, the American Gaming Association had released revised guidelines that advised against similar partnerships between sportsbooks and colleges.
April 21, 2023: Jameson Williams among five NFL players suspended for gambling
Detroit Lions wide receiver Quintez Cephus, safety C.J. Moore and Washington Commanders defensive end Shaka Toney were indefinitely suspended for betting on NFL games, while Jameson Williams and Stanley Berryhill were suspended for six games for mobile betting that occurred at the Lions` facility, though Williams and Berryhill did not bet on NFL games.
May 4, 2023: Alabama fires head baseball coach Brad Bohannon after link to suspicious bets
Ohio gambling regulators had initially halted betting on college baseball games involving Alabama after suspicious wagering activity was detected for its game against LSU. Federal prosecutors alleged Bert Neff, an Indiana businessman and youth baseball coach, communicated with Bohannon ahead of an Alabama-LSU baseball game and proceeded to bet against the Crimson Tide. Alabama fired Bohannon six days after the betting had been halted.
May 8, 2023: Start of Iowa-Iowa State gambling investigation
The University of Iowa and Iowa State University announce more than three dozen athletes — spanning baseball, football, men`s basketball, men`s track and field, and wrestling — and one full-time Iowa athletic department employee were suspected of violating NCAA rules against gambling on sports.
June 29, 2023: NFL suspends four players for gambling violations (three for betting on their own team)
Indianapolis Colts` Isaiah Rodgers Sr. and Rashod Berry and free agent Demetrius Taylor were suspended by the NFL through at least the 2023 season for betting on NFL games in 2022. Rodgers, however, said that the bets he made were for other people, whom he declined to identify.
Sept. 29, 2023: Jameson Williams reinstated after NFL tweaks gambling policy
The NFL modified its gambling policies to make it so players who bet on their own teams would be punished more harshly — a suspension of at least two years — and players who bet on any NFL games would be punished with a one-year suspension. Players who bet on non-NFL sports while at a team facility or on team-related travel would now receive a two-game suspension for a first violation, six games for a second and at least one year for a third.
Oct 26, 2023: NHL player Shane Pinto suspended 41 games for gambling
It is unclear how Ottawa Senators center Shane Pinto violated the NHL`s sports wagering policy, but Pinto did have an online gambling account in the U.S. that was flagged by an NHL integrity protection partner `because of unusual activity.`
Oct. 27, 2023: Two Korn Ferry Tour golfers suspended for sports betting
Vince India and Jake Staiano, golfers on the PGA Tour`s feeder tour, were suspended for three and six months, respectively, for placing bets on PGA Tour competitions. Neither wagered on tournaments in which they played.
2024
Jan. 25, 2024: Patriots` Kayshon Boutte arrested over illegal betting at LSU
Louisiana State police said the charges against wide receiver Kayshon Boutte include a felony count of computer fraud and a misdemeanor count of gambling prohibited for persons under 21. Boutte allegedly used an alias to get around the age requirement for placing sports wagers in Louisiana while he placed bets from April 6, 2022, through May 7, 2023, while he was 20.
March 8, 2024: Temple reviews reports of unusual gambling activity
Watchdog company U.S. Integrity flagged at least one Temple men`s basketball game for unusual betting activity, prompting Caesars Sportsbook and FanDuel, among other sportsbooks, to halt betting on the game.
March 12, 2024: Ex-Jaguars employee Amit Patel given 6 ½ year prison sentence for fraud
Amit Patel pleaded guilty to stealing $22 million from the team. Patel stole the money over the course of 3½ years as he transferred approximately $20 million to FanDuel and $1 million to DraftKings, using the rest of the stolen money on various other expenditures.
March 20, 2024: Dodgers fire Shohei Ohtani`s interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, amid allegations of `massive theft` stemming from gambling debts
Ippei Mizuhara was fired after questions arose surrounding at least $4.5 million in wire transfers sent from Shohei Ohtani`s bank account to a bookmaking operation under federal investigation. A spokesman for Ohtani initially told ESPN that Ohtani had transferred the funds to cover Mizuhara`s gambling debt.
March 25, 2024: NBA eyes Raptors` Jontay Porter for betting issues
Multiple sources reported that Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter was being investigated by the NBA for making prop bets from games on Jan. 26 and March 20 involving himself.
March 27, 2024: NCAA president calls for ban on college prop bets
NCAA president Charlie Baker calls for ban on college prop bets. Baker said this is to protect `the integrity and competition` of the game as well as stop the harassment of student and professional athletes.
April 11, 2024: Federal prosecutors say Mizuhara stole more than $16 million from Ohtani
Federal authorities filed a complaint accusing Mizuhara of bank fraud in relation to allegations he stole money from Ohtani to cover his own gambling debts. The prosecutors said Ohtani is considered a victim in this case.
April 17, 2024: NBA bans Jontay Porter for life
The NBA announced its investigation found that `Porter violated league rules by disclosing confidential information to sports bettors, limiting his own participation in one or more games for betting purposes, and betting on NBA games.`
June 3, 2024: Padres Marcano faces potential lifetime ban
San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano is facing a potential lifetime ban for betting on baseball. Major League Baseball received information that he wagered on games involving the Pittsburgh Pirates when he was with them last season.
June 4, 2024: Marcano gets lifetime ban; four other players suspended for one year
For violating MLB`s sports betting rules and policies, the league announced San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano had been declared permanently ineligible. Additionally, Oakland Athletics pitcher Michael Kelly, Padres minor league pitcher Jay Groome, Philadelphia Phillies minor league infielder José Rodríguez and Arizona Diamondbacks minor league pitcher Andrew Saalfrank were all declared ineligible for one year.
June 14, 2024: MLB disciplines an umpire for violating league`s gambling rules
Umpire Pat Hoberg has been disciplined for violating the league`s gambling rules, though the nature of the discipline is unknown. Hoberg has denied betting on baseball and is appealing the discipline, but he has not umpired a game this season.
Aug. 15, 2024: Notre Dame suspends men`s swim team at least one year for gambling
An external review found that members of the Fighting Irish men`s swim team were in violation of NCAA rules by wagering on the results of their competitions and failed to `treat one another with dignity and respect,` which resulted in a suspension of the program for at least one year. According to a source, the athletes established a sportsbook within the confines of the team to place their wagers. However, the source said, they did not bet on competitors or on any other Notre Dame athletic events.
2025
Jan. 30, 2025: Federal investigators eyeing Terry Rozier`s play in 2023 game
Federal prosecutors are investigating unusual betting patterns surrounding the play of former Charlotte Hornets guard Terry Rozier in a game almost two years ago. It`s part of the same investigation that led to Porter`s lifetime suspension. Rozier, who played for the Hornets at that time and now plays for the Miami Heat, has neither been charged with a crime nor has he been accused of wrongdoing. The NBA said it looked into the matter at the time and did not find that any league rules were broken.
Feb 22, 2025: NCAA, Fresno State investigating betting allegations
Fresno State and the NCAA are investigating allegations that two men`s basketball players participated in daily fantasy contests based on their own performances, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Sources reported that junior forward Mykell Robinson and associates bet and entered daily fantasy sports contests involving Fresno State games in which he played. The wagers and fantasy entries included the under on Robinson`s points and rebounds. At least one major U.S. sportsbook received increased betting interest on Robinson`s props in games this season, according to an industry source. Robinson, a junior forward, was removed from the roster after playing in a Jan. 11 game against Nevada. Attempts to reach Robinson for comment were unsuccessful.
Fresno State senior guard Jalen Weaver reported that he played a daily fantasy contest on his points total in a game on Dec. 31. Weaver said he risked $50 that he would score more than 11 points on a fantasy site. He finished with 13 points.
A third Fresno State player, sophomore guard Zaon Collins, was held out of a game for allegedly betting on professional sports, according to multiple sources familiar with the investigation.
Fresno State stated that Weaver and Collins were `being withheld from competition as the University reviews an eligibility matter.`
June 29: Sources: Pistons` Malik Beasley subject of federal gambling probe
Federal authorities are investigating Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley on allegations of gambling related to NBA games and prop bets, according to sources.
The allegations are from the 2023-24 season, when Beasley played for the Milwaukee Bucks. Beasley averaged 11.3 points in 79 games that season, during which he made a career-high 77 starts.
At least one prominent U.S. sportsbook detected unusually heavy betting interest on Beasley`s statistics beginning around January 2024, according to a gambling industry source. A source pointed to a game between the Bucks and the Portland Trail Blazers on Jan. 31, 2024. The odds on Beasley recording fewer than 2.5 rebounds moved significantly before the game, shortening from around +120 to around -250 due to a surge of action on the under. Beasley finished with six rebounds, and the bets that were deemed unusual lost.
`An investigation is not a charge,` Beasley`s attorney, Steve Haney, told ESPN. `Malik is afforded the same right of the presumption of innocence as anyone else under the U.S. Constitution. As of now he has not been charged with anything.
