The Gamblers Den

Global Underground Gambling News

Federal Raids on Illegal Gambling Houses Detain 130

LAJeong, Helen. 22 December 2025. (NBC LA)

In Operation Coast to Coast, law enforcement conducted nationwide raids of illegal gambling establishments or "casitas", operated by LA-area gangs that also to sell narcotics as well as involvement in prostitution and firearms trafficking was targeted by federal authorities. The FBI reported that over 130 suspects were detained at casitas across Los Angeles, California.

Federal authorities and local law enforcement agencies organized for 36 joint operations, resulting in over 200 arrests and the seizure of a substantial amount of drugs.

Over 30 Arrested in NBA Game Fixing & Poker Gambling

AP. New York, NY, USA. 25 October 2025. (AP) — Head coach Chauncey Billups of the Portland Trail Blazers and a player for the Miami Heat were arrested along with over 30 others accused in a wide-ranging illegal gambling operations bust. Federal agents said Heat guard Terry Rozier leaked inside information about NBA athletes that influenced betting odds, and a separate indictment, related to rigged poker games backed by La Cosa Nostra crime families, that scammed high rollers out of at least $7 million using electronic surveillance.

The top federal prosecutor for the Eastern District of New York, called it "one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes since online sports betting became widely legalized in the United States."

"My message to the defendants who’ve been rounded up today is this: Your winning streak has ended," Nocella said. "Your luck has run out."

Emmanuel Clase named in bombshell Major League Baseball gambling probe

BLUM, ERIC. Cleveland, Ohio, USA. 28 July 2025. Daily Mail Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher, Emmanuel Clase has reportedly been placed on non-disciplinary paid leave as part of Major League Baseball's (MLB) gambling investigation.

Clase pitched in both games of a doubleheader on Saturday, 28 July, against the Kansas City Royals in what will likely be his final MLB appearance pending league investigation.

Clase is currently on paid leave through August 31, per ESPN sports network, and has the same status as teammate Luis Ortiz, who is also connected with the betting probe.

The Guardians are not permitted to comment further at this time, and will respect the league's confidential investigative process as we continue to fully cooperate.

Clase's exact ties to the investigation are unclear, as are how many games have activity that the league is reviewing, as well as the exact amount of pitches under the probe.

Ortiz has been on paid leave since July 3 after unusual gambling activity spiked on two pitches he threw for balls, in June games a dozen days apart. Ortiz's leave lasts until the exact same day as Clase.

The probe has been ongoing for nearly a month, since the league first became aware of the abnormalities in the live betting market.

In Ortiz's case, unusual amounts of money were wagered on the pitches from the June 15 and 27 games being a ball or hit-batsman from betting accounts, per ESPN. Both pitches wound up well outside the strike zone.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred spoke about the investigation earlier this month.

"There are certain types of bets that strike me as unnecessary and particularly vulnerable," Manfred said. "I know there was a lot of sports betting, tons of it that went on illegally and we had no idea, no idea what threats there were to the integrity of the play because it was all not transparent."

"I firmly believe that the transparency and monitoring that we have in place now, as a result of the legalization and the partnerships that we've made, puts us in a better position to protect baseball than we were in before."

Where will low-stakes gamblers go when Macao’s satellite casinos close?

STAFF REPORTER. Macao China. 29 July 2025. Macao News

According to Macao News, the closure of satellite casinos may result in low-tier gamblers could being priced out of the market entirely, while mid-tier players would likely head for core Cotai Strip casinos.

With the closure of most if not all of Macao’s satellite casinos looming, industry observers say more local and Hong Kong gamblers will likely head for the core casinos of downtown Macao peninsula.

The transition could be an opportunity for five of Macao’s six concessionaires with core properties on the peninsula to capture players they’ve traditionally missed. Underground, and online gambling, illegal in China, also starts to gain marketshare.

NBA legend arrested for allegedly running underground illegal gambling ring at Encino mansion

BURNETT, ANDREW. Encino, California, USA. (23 July 2025). MSN

Former Washington Wizards basketball star, Gilbert Arenas, has been arrested and charged with operating an illegal gambling operation out of his mansion in Encino, California.

Named alongside Arenas are five co-conspirators who have been charged with operating an illegal gambling business.

An unsealed indictment reveals that from September 2021 to July 2022, Arenas rented out a mansion in Encino for the purpose of hosting high-stakes illegal poker games.

The US Attorney's Office says a man named Arthur Kats staged the mansion to host the games at Arenas' behalf and also found co-conspirators to host the games.