FanDuel Acts After Bill Simmons Admits Proxy Betting

What started as a casual mention on a podcast has turned into a significant issue for FanDuel, prompting scrutiny from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC).

FanDuel has taken measures against Bill Simmons’ account following his admission that he had his daughter’s boyfriend place bets on his behalf while he was in California. The sportsbook has reported the incident to the MGC and voided the wagers.

Simmons revealed this arrangement on his podcast, stating that he provided his FanDuel login credentials and an authentication code to Hank, his daughter’s boyfriend, who was in Massachusetts at the time.

“I let Hank log into my FanDuel as me,” Simmons explained. “I receive a code to verify it’s me on my phone, and I share that code with him.”

In response to Simmons’ admission, FanDuel confirmed they had acted in accordance with their Terms and Conditions and the regulations set by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. They voided the bets and took action on Simmons’ account, although the specifics of that action were not disclosed.

On Tuesday, Simmons addressed the controversy again, admitting he was not aware that proxy betting was against the rules. “I mentioned how I had my daughter’s boyfriend place some bets for me in Massachusetts while I was in L.A. I didn’t know about the proxy rules,” he stated on his podcast.

He acknowledged the seriousness of the situation, saying, “They ruled that the bets would be voided, and I learned my lesson; apparently, proxy betting is not allowed. I thought it was permissible, but that’s fine… All those bets are now void.”

Simmons had intended to place futures bets on teams like UCLA and the Houston Texans, but since sports betting is illegal in California, he was unable to do so himself. He noted that his FanDuel account still had funds from previous successful bets, which Hank used to place wagers in Massachusetts.

He also mentioned that this arrangement was not a one-time occurrence. “A week later, I called him up and did it again,” Simmons added.

Both FanDuel’s policies and Massachusetts regulations explicitly prohibit proxy betting. FanDuel’s terms specify that accounts are for personal use only, forbidding customers from betting on behalf of others or allowing others to access their accounts. Such actions can lead to permanent account suspension and forfeiture of winnings.

Massachusetts law mandates that licensed sportsbooks implement reasonable measures to prevent individuals from placing bets as agents or proxies for others. The MGC confirmed they are reviewing Simmons’ statements regarding this incident.

Given Simmons’ commercial ties to FanDuel, this incident has garnered additional attention.