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After months of uncertainty, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier is officially getting his money.
An arbitrator ruled Monday (February 2) that the NBA has to pay Rozier his salary, reversing the league’s decision to place him on unpaid leave after his arrest last year in a federal gambling investigation.
“Terry won today under principles of contract law and the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the league and the players, but the bigger principle at issue is the presumption of innocence,” Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, told Front Office Sports. “Today’s arbitration ruling reminds the NBA that they can’t ignore that important concept just because it’s a high-profile case.”

Rozier is facing federal charges for what federal prosecutors say was his role in an alleged illegal NBA gambling scheme. Rozier was arrested and charged in October and has pleaded not guilty.
Jim Trusty, Rozier’s lawyer: “Terry won today under principles of contract law and the… https://t.co/ihRS3Q2U3d
— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) February 2, 2026

NBA withheld Rozier and Billup’s salary amid ongoing gambling probe
Rozier was arrested in October as part of a federal probe that also included Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and former player and coach Damon Jones. Prosecutors charged Rozier with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, both serious charges that can carry sentences of up to 20 years.
All of this unfolded during the final year of Rozier’s four-year, $96.3 million contract with Charlotte, which he signed in 2021. A few months later, in January 2024, he was traded to Miami in a deal that sent Kyle Lowry and a 2027 draft pick the other way. This season, Rozier is on the Heat’s books for $26.6 million, with $25 million of that guaranteed.
“We are pleased with the arbitrator’s ruling and remain committed to ensuring that Terry’s due process rights are protected and that he is afforded the presumption of innocence throughout this process,” an NBPA spokesman said.
In October 2025, we reported that the NBA and the Heat planned to park Rozier’s salary in escrow while the investigation continued. The idea was that if Rozier was cleared, he’d get the money. Billups, meanwhile, was not being paid during his enforced leave. Now, with the arbitration decision finalized, Rozier’s escrowed salary will be released.
Billups reportedly made around $4.7 million during the 2024–25 season and signed a multi-year extension earlier this year for an undisclosed amount.
ReadWrite has reached out to Terry Rozier’s legal representatives for comment.
Featured image: The Financial Express via YouTube
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Sports betting giant BetMGM updates terms of service to specifically prohibit athlete harassment with threat of account suspension.
The new terms state that BetMGM will suspend a customer’s account if they are found to use harassing or abusive language towards athletes, coaches, or related personnel. While harassment was previously included in the terms of service, the updates make special mention of athletes and professionals and offer more clarity around the process.

@BetMGM has updated our Terms of Service to explicitly prohibit athlete harassment.
Under the revised terms, we will suspend any customer account found to have used harassing or abusive language toward athletes, coaches, or team or league personnel.
This update brings added… pic.twitter.com/bFQJpq7ISq
— BetMGM News (@BetMGMNews) February 2, 2026

“We are unwavering in our commitment to sports integrity — and that commitment extends to safeguarding athletes, coaches and league personnel,” said Rhea Loney, BetMGM’s Chief Compliance Officer, in a statement to press. “Our legal, regulated environment enables us to identify misconduct, investigate reports, and take action when necessary. Any confirmed instance of harassment will result in decisive measures, including account suspension.”
Abuse ticks up during major sporting events
Although a NCAA study found that abuse levelled at athletes by bettors reduced in 2025’s March Madness when compared to 2024, over 3,000 messages were still found to be abusive. Abuse is also known to tick up during major sporting events, with gamblers using social media to harass athletes. It’s thought that having money at stake increases the inclination to harass or abuse those perceived to be at fault.
“As a professional athlete, I know how important respect is — both on and off the field,” said former running back and BetMGM ambassador Barry Sanders. “BetMGM is sending a strong message that harassment has no place in sports or sports betting. I’m proud to see BetMGM protecting athletes and promoting integrity.”
The update is in place across BetMGM’s systems around the world, including both mobile and desktop platforms and MGM Resorts properties. The company also deepened its responsible gambling initiatives through a partnership with BetBlocker last year that sought to reduce the risk of gambling-related harm.
Featured image: BetMGM
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A recent study by the American Gaming Association (AGA) projects that an estimated $1.76 billion will be wagered on Super Bowl LX.
The regulator has based its prediction on the explosive rise of prediction markets and the continued growth and strength of the legal, state- and tribal-regulated markets.
AGA predicts $1.76 billion will be wagered on Super Bowl LX
The AGA published the study, with President and CEO Bill Miller vocal about the regulator’s views on traditional sports betting markets and prediction markets.
“This research reinforces why state-and-tribal-regulated sportsbooks are critical, offering strong oversight and consumer protections that prediction markets simply do not match,” said Miller.
The strong throughline from Miller indicates that prediction markets remain in a grey area with the AGA, which could be linked to the ongoing legal disputes between prediction market operators and the traditional licensed and tribal gaming sector.

Americans are expected to wager a record $1.76B legally on Super Bowl LX, a testament to the strength of the state- and tribal-regulated sports betting market.
Read the release https://t.co/uoTyKTYMf5 pic.twitter.com/hP5SHeuOfd
— American Gaming Association (@AmericanGaming) January 30, 2026

We reported that Polymarket, Kalshi, and Crypto have come under intense legal scrutiny in Nevada, which could set a precedent for federal oversight over state regulation.
The study doubles down on that perspective, saying the work by the AGA “shows that prediction markets are confusing consumers by promoting sports betting as an investment rather than entertainment, underscoring concerns about how these products are marketed and their lack of responsible gaming tools.”
AGA publishes prediction market observations
Looking more closely at the study, there is a clear distinction in the AGA’s perspective on prediction markets.
“78% of sports event contract bettors believe state regulators could assist in resolving disputes on their platform, even though prediction markets operate entirely outside state sports betting regulatory frameworks. These findings underscore widespread confusion among sports event contract users on the regulatory oversight governing prediction markets.”
28% of sports event contract bettors describe their activity as investing, according to the AGA, compared with 9% of sportsbook users.
Despite investment-style advertising reaching 31% of sports event contract bettors (compared to 7% of sportsbook users) and 25% of funding activity coming from investment budgets (compared to 9% of sportsbook users), 58% of traditional licensed sports bettors still regard sports event contracts as gambling rather than investing.
“No single event brings fans together like the Super Bowl, and this record figure shows just how much Americans enjoy sports betting as part of the experience,” said Miller, but he was keen to highlight traditional markets, saying, “By choosing legal, regulated sportsbooks, fans are having fun while supporting a safe and responsible market.”
Featured image: AGA Official.
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