Nevada gaming regulators say an investigation into unusual sports betting tied to Fresno State men’s basketball has led to an arrest, while authorities continue searching for other people allegedly involved in the scheme.
According to an announcement published on Thursday (June 11) from the Nevada Gaming Control Board, the case centers on proposition wagers connected to the alleged intentional underperformance of a Fresno State athlete during the 2024-25 season. Investigators say former and current associates linked to college basketball programs used inside information to place bets and profit from the results.
Authorities said the inquiry relied on subpoenas, financial records, cellphone data, information supplied by licensed sportsbooks, and coordination with the NCAA. Regulators said that evidence established probable cause that multiple individuals worked together to place fraudulent wagers connected to a Fresno State game played on January 7, 2025.
The Gaming Control Board said one suspect was arrested and booked into the Clark County Detention Center on May 5, 2026. The person faces allegations under Nevada law that include fraudulent acts, conspiracy to cheat at gambling, and conspiracy to launder money.
Nevada investigation focuses on Fresno State alleged betting scheme
Officials have not publicly identified the arrested individual. The agency also said additional suspects have not yet been apprehended and that criminal cases against others remain under development. Because the investigation is still active, regulators declined to release further details.
Investigators say the alleged misconduct focused on proposition betting markets rather than wagers on the final outcome of games. According to the board, evidence indicated bettors acted on advance knowledge that a player would intentionally underperform.
The case arrives amid scrutiny of sports wagering issues across college athletics. Earlier reports involving the University of New Orleans men’s basketball program led to the suspension of four players during an investigation into possible gambling-related violations. Separate NCAA enforcement actions have also shown concerns about manipulated betting activity, with six student-athletes reportedly expelled after findings tied to improper wagering conduct. In February 2025, we reported that Fresno State had suspended two of its top-scoring players and removed a third player from the team.
By September, the NCAA had identified three players—Mykell Robinson, Steven Vasquez, and Jalen Weaver—from Fresno State and San Jose State who had been dismissed from their teams and expelled from their schools after being found to have gambled on their own games.
Those NCAA disciplinary actions were separate from the Nevada criminal investigation, and the Gaming Control Board has not identified any of those players as suspects.
Nevada regulators said cooperation with the NCAA played an important role in the Fresno State investigation. The NCAA had already reviewed betting-related concerns involving members of the Fresno State program and found violations connected to sports wagering and game manipulation.
In the statement announcing the arrest, NGCB Chairman Mike Dreitzer said, “The Nevada Gaming Control Board remains committed to protecting the integrity of Nevada’s gaming industry and will continue to aggressively investigate any activity that threatens the fairness and public confidence of regulated sports wagering.”
For now, the Gaming Control Board says it will not release additional information. Investigators remain focused on identifying and pursuing other suspects, and officials say the wider criminal investigation is still underway.
Featured image: Cadking3 via WikiCommons / CC BY-SA 3.0
