Former NBA player Malik Beasley is negotiating a plea agreement with the Department of Justice after initially pleading not guilty to charges of altering his play in 2024 to benefit sports bettors and ease his debts. Beasley entered a not guilty plea in July in New York federal court. His attorney said Saturday that they expect an agreement soon. Beasley and sports agent Paolo Zamorano are among six people charged in a gambling scandal involving over three dozen arrests. Beasley is accused of fixing his performance in at least four games while playing for the Milwaukee Bucks in 2024.

The NBA has told sportsbooks about new restrictions on certain types of wagers for the upcoming season. These include bets on which player records the first stat of a game and the outcome of the opening tip. The league also requires players, coaches, and staff to attend in-person training on sports betting rules. The changes follow betting scandals that led to arrests of former NBA figures. Additionally, the NBA has developed an AI-based platform to monitor unusual betting activity and has upgraded protections against harassment from sports bettors.

Prosecutors in Pennsylvania have announced that a man involved in rigging college basketball games has been sentenced to six years in prison. This marks the first penalty in an investigation that authorities said uncovered a network of gamblers and players profiting from fixed games. Jalen Smith, 30, was involved in fixing games during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 NCAA seasons. He recruited players to underperform in exchange for payment, allowing bettors to profit by wagering against their teams. The scheme affected nearly 30 games and resulted in over $3 million in fraudulent wagers. Smith must also pay $1.1 million in restitution.