Miami Heat’s Tony Rozier leaves the Orlando Federal Courthouse through a side door after an arraignment on Thu Oct 23, 2025 (AP News photo)
Investigation of the Mafia-NBA Gambling Scandal
That’s Amaury News and Commentary
By Amaury Pi-González
The current investigation of the Mafia and NBA gambling continues, and could make the 1919 eight Chicago White Sox players banned for life after throwing the World Series on equal footing, the numerous PED scandals, with many players’ suspensions, the Pete Rose ban from baseball because of gambling charges, and the most recent the Houston Astros sign stealing scandal look all trivial in comparison.
This could be the “tip of the iceberg,” said one popular ESPN commentator on TV, referring to the current investigation Recently, before the Warriors’ game against Denver, Warriors’ coach Steve Kerr was asked about this current NBA scandal. He responded, “The biggest thing is that our players face a lot of wrath from fans,” referencing the barrage of hostile messages athletes now receive, especially from those with money riding on the outcome.
Kerr was talking about the fans, and I agree that fans do not have a right, because they bet on a game, to harass or intimidate him or his team, because a fan made a certain bet and Kerr made a substitution, and that fan felt it cost him to lose money on his legal bet.
With all due respect to the Warriors coach, I understand what he is saying and agree with his statement, but as of today, nobody knows whether this scandal involves basketball fans who bet on NBA games. It is legal for adults to bet on sports in the US.
More than 30 people have been arrested in this recent FBI investigation into illegal gambling, match-fixing, and a mafia-backed poker scheme, and so far those arrested include NBA players, a head coach, and organized crime members. Are there also fans among the people over 30 who have been arrested so far?
We do not know, or those in the know have not told us yet. Here are all the major sports outfits in the country: DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, Bet365, ESPN Bet, Fanatics Sportsbook,BetRivers. There are also a bunch of sites that are dedicated exclusively to horse racing.
The Warriors’ success at the box office is nothing new. The Golden State Warriors sold out games with great frequency during their time in Oakland, especially during their championship-winning years . The team amassed a long consecutive sellout streak that began in Oakland and continued after their move to San Francisco.
I remember those years when I was their first and only, to date, Spanish play-by-play announcer for all their games, home and away. The Warriors have always been a very popular team in the Bay Area, whether they played in Oakland or in San Francisco.
On a lighter note: A good friend of mine told me that the prices for food at the Warriors games at Chase Center in San Francisco are so high that a hot dog costs $8.50 and a beer is as high as $20. But once they’re inside, they know those are the prices; it’s like an island, they cannot leave. Which I responded, What do you expect? They play at the Chase Center, Chase is a huge US Bank.
Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.
While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com
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