Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley and two-time NBA champ Kenny Smith clashed on an episode of ESPN’s Inside the NBA recently when asked about the arrests of hoops legend Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and retired player and coach Damon Jones for their alleged involvement in money-betting scandals. (1)
The debate between “Sir Charles” and “The Jet” centered on whether the involvement of the three NBA figures had to do with gambling addiction.
Must Read
- Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don’t have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here’s how
- Dave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake — here’s what it is and 3 simple steps to fix it ASAP
- Robert Kiyosaki says this 1 asset will surge 400% in a year — and he begs investors not to miss its ‘explosion’
Billups and Jones are among the accused — which also include members of multiple New York crime families — in a case involving a fixed poker game that allegedly used “sophisticated cheating technologies” to bilk victims out of $7 million. (2)
Jones is also accused, along with Rozier, of providing inside information about NBA games — such as when Rozier allegedly feigned injury to leave a game early — to aid in illegal bets that netted hundreds of thousands of dollars. (3)
Smith noted his surprise at the allegations. But then he jumped on the alleged money-betting angle, saying “gambling is an addiction which can make you make illogical decisions” regardless of other factors, including your financial status.
That landed like an air ball for Barkley, who argued, “this ain’t got nothing to do with damn gambling addiction … These dudes are stupid.”
Sir Charles pointed to the difficulty of fixing an NBA game and noted Rozier was set to make around $26 million in the last year of a $96-million contract this season. (4)
“You’re proving my point,” Smith shot back. “That’s an illogical thought process. If you’re making $26 million to win $50,000, that’s illogical … It’s addiction.”
Barkley, however, refused to concede.
“That’s not addiction,” he said. “That’s stupidity.”
Probe highlights growth and risks of sports betting
The prosecutor in the arrest of Jones told a judge that the ex-player “has a very serious gambling problem” and asked for conditions to be placed on Jones’s pre-trial release.
Jones himself released no statement and requested a public defender due to his inability to afford a lawyer. (5)
Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it
Billups’ lawyer responded to the allegations saying “men of integrity do not cheat and defraud others … We look forward to our day in court.”
Meanwhile, Rozier’s attorney said that his client had tried to open lines of communication with prosecutors “a long time ago” and that he only learned on the morning of the arrest that Rozier was not a subject, but a target in the case. (6)
At this point any conclusions about gambling addiction in this case are merely speculation.
But the case highlights the explosive growth of sports betting in the United States, along with the inherent dangers facing those who get too involved.
A report from the American Gaming Association, a national casino industry trade group, noted that an increase in sports betting helped overall commercial gaming revenue jump 7.5% year-over-year in 2024, raking in a record haul of $72.04 billion. (7)
Americans, meanwhile, placed $149.90 billion in legal sports bets, resulting in $13.78 billion of revenue — an increase of 24.8% year-over-year.
Sports betting — especially with the proliferation of online sportsbooks — is big business in the 39 U.S. states, and Washington D.C., where it’s legalized.
But it comes at a cost — and not just lost wagers.
Lower credit scores. A 2025 UCLA study entitled The Financial Consequences of Legalized Sports Gambling found that states that allow sports betting saw a 0.8 drop in average credit scores, and a whopping 2.75 point drop when online sports gambling opportunities are available. (8)
Higher debt, delinquencies and bankruptcies. Those states that legalize sports betting also see a “substantial increase” in “bankruptcy rates, debt sent to collections, use of debt consolidation loans, and auto loan delinquencies.”
More and more people are getting hooked.
The National Council on Problem Gambling says that 2.5 million Americans “meet the criteria for a severe gambling problem,” while another “5-8 million would be considered to have mild or moderate gambling problems.”
Drawing a link to sports betting, gambling addiction hotlines report that call volume is rising and the ages of callers is falling. (9)
Gambling safely and recognizing when you have a problem
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) says that there’s no set age range for developing gambling disorders — defined as “repeated and ongoing betting and wagering that continues despite creating multiple problems in several areas of an individual’s life.” (10)
The organization reports that men are more likely to start young, while gambling disorders in young women progress faster.
Factors ranging from trauma to poverty to low income and social inequality can all contribute to gambling disorders, they say, as well as an “increase in the availability of gambling opportunities” — a wake-up call as digital gambling platforms flourish.
The APA also provides a list of actions that could prove symptomatic of a gambling disorder, including:
- frequent thoughts about gambling
- gambling to escape problems in one’s life
- “chasing” losses to “get even”
- and lying about your gambling to others.
They do note, however, that there are treatments for gambling disorders ranging from cognitive behavioral therapy to counselling.
Meanwhile, the Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling (ECPG) — a non-profit affiliate of the National Council on Problem Gambling — offers some best practices for gambling safely.
Setting a strict time limit and budget for yourself when you gamble are both key, as is, they say, being able to accept that losing is part of the process. They also suggest gambling only for entertainment purposes — as opposed to trying to make money or recoup losses from it — and never letting it interfere with your work or relationships with loved ones.
They caution, though, that if it becomes difficult to continue gambling within such guidelines, it could be time to reach out for help.
Article sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
ESPN (1); CBS News (2); The Hill (3); Spotrac (4); Las Vegas Review Journal; (5); New York Times (6); American Gaming Association (7); UCLA (8); NBC News (9); American Psychiatric Association (10)
What to read next
- Want to retire with an extra $1.3M? See how Dave Ramsey’s viral 7-step plan helps millions of Americans kill debt and build wealth — and how you can too
- I’m 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don’t panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast)
- There’s still a 35% chance of a recession hitting the American economy this year — protect your retirement savings with these 5 essential money moves ASAP
- This tiny hot Costco item has skyrocketed 74% in price in under 2 years — but now the retail giant is restricting purchase. Here’s how to buy the coveted asset in bulk
Join 200,000+ readers and get Moneywise’s best stories and exclusive interviews first — clear insights curated and delivered weekly. Subscribe now.
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.