Key facts
- The Massachusetts Gaming Commission is investigating Bill Simmons for alleged proxy betting.
- Simmons admitted to using his daughter's boyfriend to place sports bets for him in Massachusetts.
- Proxy betting is illegal in Massachusetts.
- FanDuel voided the bets and sanctioned Simmons's account.
- Simmons stated he was unaware of the proxy betting rules.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission is investigating sports podcaster Bill Simmons for allegedly engaging in illegal proxy betting. Simmons, who runs Spotify's podcast strategy, admitted on his show that he had his daughter's boyfriend log into his account and place NFL futures bets for him while Simmons was in California, where online sports betting is illegal. The bets were placed in Massachusetts, where online sports betting is legal but proxy betting is explicitly prohibited.
FanDuel, the sportsbook involved, has voided the bets and sanctioned Simmons's account. The company stated it handled the issue according to its terms and reported it to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. Legal experts suggest that while Simmons appears to have violated Massachusetts law, he is an unlikely candidate for severe penalties, with one professor suggesting a possible one-month suspension from FanDuel.
Simmons has stated he was unaware of the proxy betting rules but has since learned about them. Experts note that ignorance of the law is not a complete defense, but the commonality of proxy betting might lead to a 'good-faith determination' by the sportsbook, potentially avoiding harsher sanctions. The incident places both Simmons and FanDuel in an 'awkward place' due to their existing relationship.