U.S. Senate Once Again Evaluating Sports Betting Integrity

• The U.S. Senate has scheduled a hearing regarding sports betting and gaming integrity
• The Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Technology, and Data Privacy will hold the hearing on May 20
• Hearing will examine the expansion of U.S. sports betting and its “growing impact on the integrity of games.”

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The U.S. Senate announced it will hold a hearing to evaluate sports betting and gaming integrity in the country in light of several recent sports betting scandals.

U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn), chairman of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Technology, and Data Privacy, announced the hearing for Wednesday, May 20, at 10 a.m.

According to the official announcement, the hearing will “examine the rapid expansion of sports betting in the United States and its growing impact on the integrity of games.”

Potential Threats to Game Integrity

Senators will gather testimony on the current sports betting framework and its safeguards to thwart attempts to rig outcomes of games, or if additional action is necessary to ensure transparency, fairness, and integrity.

“Fair play is the foundation of American sports, but recent match-fixing scandals in professional sports have put a spotlight on the risks facing the integrity of competition. As traditional online betting platforms and new entrants like prediction markets continue to intersect with sports, we need a clear understanding of how these platforms operate and what they mean for the integrity of the game. This hearing will examine how we strengthen oversight, protect the credibility of competition, and address the growing exposure of young people and children to betting platforms,” Blackburn said in the announcement.

This is the first Senate hearing on sports betting since the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee in December 2024 discussed the potential need for federal regulations to safeguard customers from gambling harms.

The following individuals are scheduled to testify:

• Bill Miller, president and chief executive officer of the American Gaming Association
• Mary Beth Thomas, executive director of the Tennessee Sports Wagering Council
• Scott Sadin, co-founder and chief executive officer of Integrity Compliance 360
• The honorable Patrick McHenry, senior advisor for the Coalition for Prediction Markets

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) noted sports fans should not have concerns over potential manipulation while watching sports.

“Fans shouldn’t have to wonder if their favorite player missed a buzzer-beater or dropped a touchdown pass because of a secret bet. Unfortunately, recent episodes have planted that seed of doubt and raised questions about whether changes are necessary to integrity in sports. I look forward to a productive conversation about the state of sports betting in the United States,” he said.

Scandals Led to Hearing

The hearing announcement specifically notes recent sports betting scandals as a catalyst for the new discussion.

Two major NBA and NCAA College Basketball scandals in the last year have led to calls from some in the government for changes to the sports betting market.

Earlier this year, 20 individuals were indicted for their alleged roles in fixing NCAA basketball games and Chinese Basketball Association games. The wide-ranging point-shaving scheme saw individuals offering bribes to athletes in both basketball leagues to underperform in games.

Bribes ranged from $10,000 to $30,000 for athletes.

The 20 individuals named in the indictment allegedly bribed 39 NCAA athletes on more than 17 NCAA Division I teams, leading to more than 29 games being fixed. According to the indictment, 15 of the individuals in the scheme played NCAA basketball in either the 2023-2024 or 2024-2025 seasons.

Last October, FBI Director Kash Patel and Eastern District of New York U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr. provided details on two overarching sports betting and poker indictments that involve several current and former NBA players and coaches.

Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier had been arrested through a federal investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York for potentially manipulating a 2023 game performance as part of an illegal sports betting ring. Shortly after, news also broke that current NBA coach and hall of fame member Chauncey Billups and former NBA player and coach Damon Jones had also been arrested for their roles in an illegal poker scheme involving New York families of the mafia.

Jones was involved in both the poker and sports betting indictments.

Last week, Rozier learned he would face additional charges for soliciting and accepting a bribe, while Jones officially changed his plea from “not guilty” to “guilty” for his role in both scandals.