FanDuel has voided wagers placed on behalf of Bill Simmons and taken action against his account after the sports media personality admitted using his daughter’s boyfriend to make bets for him in Massachusetts.
The sportsbook said it also reported the matter to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC), which is reviewing Simmons’ admission.
“We became aware of the issue and handled it consistent with our Terms and Conditions and Massachusetts Gaming Commission regulations, including reporting the matter to the MGC, voiding the bets, and actioning the account,” a FanDuel spokesperson said.
FanDuel did not disclose what action it had taken against Simmons’ account. Its terms prohibit customers from allowing other people to access their accounts or wager on their behalf, a practice known as proxy betting.
The incident is also being examined by Massachusetts regulators.
“The Commission is aware of the comments made on the Bill Simmons Podcast and staff are currently reviewing the matter,” MGC spokesman Thomas Mills told Front Office Sports.
The Simmons case comes as the MGC is already examining sportsbook VIP programs following a separate FanDuel controversy involving Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper. Harper said a personalised Cameo video he recorded as a holiday greeting was later branded and used by FanDuel as a gambling promotion without his knowledge or consent.
The MGC said in July that it was aware of the case and was looking into VIP programs “as a whole,” with an update potentially reaching its agenda this fall.
Simmons admits sharing FanDuel login to place bets remotely
Simmons, founder of The Ringer and a former ESPN columnist, disclosed the arrangement while discussing bets he wanted to make from Los Angeles, where online sports betting is not legal.
He explained that his daughter and her boyfriend, Hank, had both recently turned 21 and that Hank was in Massachusetts, where FanDuel operates.
“There was a couple of bets I really wanted to get in,” Simmons said, mentioning UCLA and Houston before describing how he provided access to his account.
“I let Hank log into my FanDuel as me. I get the code to make sure it’s me to my phone, I give him the code, he logs in,” Simmons said.
Simmons said money from successful futures bets the previous year remained in the account and Hank used it to place wagers on his behalf.
“And he’s putting in bets for me, and honestly, it was the closest I’ve ever felt to Hank,” Simmons joked. “It was a real bonding moment for us.”
The arrangement was not limited to one occasion. Simmons said that a week later he contacted Hank again and “we did some more.”
His description amounts to proxy betting, which Massachusetts rules require licensed sportsbooks to prevent. FanDuel’s own terms similarly state that accounts are for personal use and prohibit allowing another person to log in to place a wager on the account holder’s behalf.
FanDuel voids wagers and reports Simmons to regulator
Simmons’ comments quickly attracted regulatory scrutiny, particularly because he described not only having another person place the wagers but also sharing the authentication code sent to his phone.
Massachusetts law requires sports wagering operators to prevent people from placing wagers as agents or proxies for others. State regulations also provide mechanisms for cancelling wagers involving prohibited bettors.
FanDuel subsequently confirmed that it had reported the matter to the MGC, voided the affected bets and taken action against Simmons’ account.
The case has an additional commercial dimension because FanDuel is The Ringer’s exclusive sports betting partner.
Neither FanDuel nor the MGC has publicly detailed what further consequences, if any, Simmons could face. The commission said only that its staff were reviewing the matter.
Simmons says he misunderstood proxy betting rules
Simmons addressed the controversy again on his podcast after FanDuel acted, saying he had not realised the arrangement violated proxy betting rules.
“I talked about how I got my daughter’s boyfriend to place some bets for me in Massachusetts, because I was in LA,” Simmons said.
“Did not know about the proxy rules. Yeah, there’s some real rules with this stuff,” he added.
Simmons confirmed that the wagers had been voided and said he had learned from the episode.
“Apparently, proxy betting not allowed. I actually thought it was, but that’s fine.”
He continued to joke about the involvement of his daughter’s boyfriend, before acknowledging the consequence for his wagers.
“All those bets went out the window. All that special time I had with Hank, out the window as well.”
Simmons said he expected to be back in Boston and could place wagers himself in the future, concluding: “Lesson learned.”
The MGC has not yet announced the outcome of its review.
Featured image: Bill Simmons via BeyondAvgMick on X
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