Indictments in college basketball add to growing sports-betting scandals, fan impact unclear

Federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania unsealed indictments accusing 20 college basketball players at 17 schools of engaging in point shaving, the latest in a string of sports-betting cases that have also touched professional leagues. Last fall, the arrest of Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups — accused of working with the Mafia — and the placement on leave of Billups and player Terry Rozier coincided with the N.B.A.’s most-watched opening week since 2017; viewership the night the F.B.I.

held its news conference was 60 percent higher than the year before. Some observers say gambling-related misconduct threatens fans’ trust in fair competition, while others note that off-court drama can increase interest. Scholars and industry figures describe integrity as a fraught concept: it can mean consistent adherence to values and rules, or simply that players try to win.

Past scandals — from doping and sign-stealing to the Tim Donaghy referee case and the N.F.L.’s Spygate and Deflategate controversies — have not necessarily reduced viewer interest, and research has shown that perceptions of tanking can depress attendance. Leagues have made changes aimed at protecting games’ integrity — the N.B.A.

altered injury-reporting rules, has adjusted draft incentives and has urged bans on certain prop and unders bets — even as revenues and media-rights deals grow.

Key Topics

Sports, College Basketball, Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier, Point Shaving, Nba