Bill Simmons Faces Review for Proxy Sports Betting

Bill Simmons, a well-known sports podcaster, is being investigated by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. This follows Simmons’ recent admission about using his daughter’s boyfriend to place bets on his behalf. The investigation was announced on Tuesday, two days after Simmons disclosed the proxy betting activity on his podcast.

Simmons, who founded The Ringer, resides in California, where sports betting is prohibited. Conversely, Massachusetts permits mobile and online betting, yet proxy betting remains illegal. FanDuel, the sportsbook involved, has strict rules against proxy betting.

The Commission is aware of the comments made on the Bill Simmons Podcast and staff are currently reviewing the matter,” a spokesman for the Massachusetts Gaming Commission stated.

FanDuel, which partners exclusively with The Ringer for sports betting, reported the issue to the Commission and invalidated Simmons’ bets. A spokesperson confirmed that actions were taken in response to Simmons’ statements on his podcast.

During the podcast episode, Simmons expressed his eagerness to place certain bets, like UCLA overs, pointing out the market hadn’t adjusted yet. He explained why he didn’t ask family members to place bets, saying, “I can’t have my daughter do it; my dad would have no idea how to do it.” Instead, Simmons relied on his daughter’s boyfriend, allowing him access to his FanDuel account.

“I get the code to make sure it’s me to my phone, I give him the code, he logs in. And I have all this money that I had from last year because I actually hit a bunch of futures last year. And he’s putting in bets for me,” Simmons shared, mentioning how the activity was a bonding experience.

In a subsequent podcast episode released on Tuesday, Simmons expressed his unfamiliarity with these betting regulations. “I did not know about the proxy rules,” he admitted, acknowledging, “Yeah, there are some real rules with this stuff.” Simmons stated that the lessons were learned after the bets were voided.

Simmons has a significant presence in the podcast world, with “The Bill Simmons Podcast” ranking high both overall and in the sports category on Spotify. His platform, The Ringer, was acquired by Spotify in 2020 for over $200 million, underlining his influence. A former ESPN columnist and commentator, Simmons continues to be a popular figure in the media industry.