Bill Simmons, a well-known sports podcaster, is currently under review by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. This comes after Simmons admitted on his podcast to using his daughter’s boyfriend to place bets on his behalf. The commission announced the investigation shortly after Simmons revealed this on a recent episode.
Simmons, founder of The Ringer, is based in California, where sports betting remains illegal. Massachusetts allows mobile and online betting, but proxy betting, where someone places bets for another person, is prohibited. FanDuel, the sportsbook linked to these bets, does not permit proxy betting.
The Commission is aware of the comments made on the Bill Simmons Podcast and staff are currently reviewing the matter, an MGC spokesman stated.
FanDuel, The Ringer’s exclusive sports betting partner, reported the incident to the commission and voided Simmons’ bets.
During the podcast, Simmons expressed a strong desire to place bets, specifically mentioning UCLA overs and market shifts involving Houston. He explained that neither his daughter nor his father could assist, but trusted his daughter’s boyfriend to log into his account.
Simmons shared that he provided the login code to the boyfriend, who then placed bets using the funds Simmons accumulated from previous successful wagers. This interaction, according to Simmons, was a bonding moment.
In a follow-up episode, Simmons stated his ignorance about the legality of proxy betting, reflecting on the lesson learned after the commission voided his bets. He emphasized that he thought such bets were permissible.
Simmons, a previous ESPN columnist, holds a prominent position in podcasting. As of Tuesday, “The Bill Simmons Podcast” ranks No. 22 overall and No. 2 in sports on Spotify. In 2020, Spotify acquired The Ringer for over $200 million.