PG experts hopeful that NBA scandal will spur change

Of the three NBA figures named in last week’s historic indictment in Brooklyn, Damon Jones raised an eyebrow for his rapport with LeBron James.

Jones, a former teammate of the NBA’s career leader in points, allegedly disseminated non-public inside information on an injured player to a betting syndicate in February 2023. While the Lakers’ forward is not named in the indictment, the unnamed player fits the profile of James based on the fact pattern enumerated in court filings. Hours after Jones’ arrest on 23 October, a federal prosecutor urged a Nevada judge to impose restrictive conditions with his pre-trial release. The strict conditions stem from the ex-NBA player’s “serious gambling problem”, noted Clay Plummer, an assistant US attorney, at last week’s hearing.

Given the immense publicity the case has received, Jones’ compulsive gambling habits could serve as a mechanism for convincing others to seek help, according to several leading specialists in the field. Jones, who amassed NBA career earnings of nearly $22 million, told the judge last week that he could not afford to hire a defense attorney.

“If Mr Jones does in fact have a serious gambling problem, I hope he knows that help and hope are out there and that recovery is possible,” said Brianne Doura-Schawohl, CEO of Doura-Schawohl Consulting LLC, a boutique global government relations firm that specialises in problem and responsible gambling policy. “It would be nice if his story served as an inflection point for change.”

Saddled in debt

While Jones ended his NBA playing career more than a decade ago, he has remained in close proximity with James. During the 2022-23 NBA season, he served as an unofficial assistant coach with the Lakers, where he had pre-game access to the NBA star. Jones allegedly provided a tip to a syndicate that a player would miss a 9 February 2023 game against the Bucks. For his efforts, Jones received a payment of $2,500, court filings state.

Since Jones’ arrest, a narrative has formed around his proclivity towards heavy gambling. One professional gambler told the New York Post that he witnessed Jones betting thousands of dollars per hand on dice at a Las Vegas casino. Michael Osborne, the bettor, added that Jones was a fixture at the ARIA’s high limit room where he sought out players who rode a hot streak. On occasion, Jones would solicit the players for loans to finance his gambling habits, Osborne told the Post.

As many individuals with a serious gambling problem get into significant debt, the bettors search feverishly for a way out, noted Keith Whyte, former executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling. When the losses accumulate, bettors may increase the volume of wagering, which only lands them in deeper trouble, Whyte explained.

“This desperation phase of a gambling problem can lead to a host of negative consequences – from chasing losses to committing financial crimes to compromising the integrity of the game,” he told iGB.

Increased funding for treatment

In the wake of last week’s arrests, the advocacy groups remain hopeful that legislators will use the case as impetus to direct additional funding into problem gambling outreach. The NCPG recommends that states allocate at least 1% of sports gambling proceeds to prevention and treatment, a target it believes that most states do not meet. 

John Millington, director of strategic partnerships at Epic Global Solutions, outlined a bevy of potential initiatives last week, most notably conditions that establish mandates for “ring-fenced funding”. Those programmes compel gambling operators to make contributions dedicated exclusively to education, prevention and support services in the area.

Doura-Schawohl is pushing for stronger restrictions on gambling ads that feature celebrities, while Whyte recommends efforts that will make outreach more accessible for those struggling with a gambling addiction.

“Stories like this can serve as a cautionary tale for other athletes,” said Whyte, who launched Safer Gambling Strategies, a problem gambling advocacy site on Monday. “Legalised gambling generates far too much revenue for problem gambling resources to be so scarce.”

Plummer, the assistant US attorney, asked a Nevada judge to impose certain conditions on Jones that restrict him from taking part in online gambling under his pre-trial release. Jones is facing charges on wire fraud conspiracy and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The NBA has issued a memo to players, according to ESPN, articulating the “dire risks that gambling can impose upon their careers and livelihoods”.