Massachusetts to hold hearing on FanDuel over proxy bets
The commission is examining 22 wagers totalling US$21,800 that Simmons placed through another person, which Massachusetts rules prohibit.
Key takeaways:
- The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) approved an adjudicatory hearing to consider enforcement action against FanDuel over proxy bets placed by Bill Simmons.
- The investigation covers 22 wagers totalling US$21,800 placed between August 7 and 19, in breach of state regulations and FanDuel’s rules.
- Simmons said on his August 30 podcast that he asked his daughter’s boyfriend, Hank, to place the bets on his behalf through his Massachusetts FanDuel account.
- FanDuel reported the incident to the MGC the following day and voided the wagers. The company did not disclose what measures it applied to the account.
U.S.- The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) will hold an adjudicatory hearing to consider enforcement action against FanDuel after media personality Bill Simmons placed US$21,800 in bets through another person. The commission approved the hearing following an investigation into 22 wagers made between August 7 and 19 in alleged breach of state regulations and the operator’s rules, which prohibit proxy betting.
According to Zachary Mercer of the MGC’s Investigations Enforcement Bureau (IEB), the bets were placed over three days and totalled US$21,800.
The case emerged after Simmons acknowledged on his August 30 podcast that he had asked his daughter’s boyfriend to place bets on his behalf. Simmons said he was in California at the time and wanted to wager on UCLA and Houston Texans futures through his Massachusetts FanDuel 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 on the podcast, adding that the experience had been “the closest I’ve ever felt to Hank”. FanDuel reported the incident to the MGC the following day and voided the wagers. It said it took action against the account but did not disclose what measures it had applied.
The MGC addressed three additional compliance matters involving Fanatics Sportsbook and BetMGM. Fanatics had allowed 71 customers to generate and share 102 referral bonus links, while also failing to notify 132 customers that their accounts had been restricted between July 29 and September 7. The commission asked the IEB to investigate the referral-link issue further. In the account-restriction case, it requested additional information and voted to hold an adjudicatory hearing.
The commission also approved three fines recommended by the IEB. Caesars Sportsbook received a US$7,500 penalty for accepting bets on an unapproved boxing match and a separate US$10,000 fine for taking wagers on a Northeastern University baseball game, which is prohibited under Massachusetts rules. MGM Springfield was fined US$7,500 for accepting bets on the Heisman Trophy, another prohibited market.
Separately, commissioners approved changes to the house rules of BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings and FanDuel. MGC staff also began preparing renewal documents for sports betting operators, with the first round of renewals since online betting launched in March 2023 scheduled for February.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
- What is proxy betting in Massachusetts? Proxy betting means a customer uses another person to place wagers on their behalf. Massachusetts rules prohibit it. In this case, the MGC says 22 wagers totalling US$21,800 were placed in breach of state regulations and FanDuel’s own rules.
- What did Bill Simmons say about the bets? Simmons said on his August 30 podcast that he asked his daughter’s boyfriend, Hank, to place bets for him. He said he was in California and wanted to wager on UCLA and Houston Texans futures through his Massachusetts FanDuel account.
- Who could face enforcement in the FanDuel proxy betting case? The MGC’s Zachary Mercer said the commission could ultimately pursue enforcement against FanDuel, Simmons or Hank. The hearing is to consider action against FanDuel. FanDuel reported the incident the following day and voided the wagers.
