Massachusetts Orders Adjudicatory Hearing for FanDuel Over Bill Simmons Proxy Bets

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission moved the Bill Simmons proxy wagering matter to an adjudicatory enforcement hearing on 5 November 2026, and the respondent named is BetFair Interactive US, LLC, which trades as FanDuel Sportsbook. The Investigations and Enforcement Bureau reported 22 wagers with a total handle of $21,800 placed on 5, 7 and 19 August on an account used by the podcaster, and the IEB memorandum is dated 26 October.

What the commission voted to do

At its public meeting on 5 November the commission agreed to hold an adjudicatory hearing on matter 2026-SWN-321 against BetFair Interactive US, LLC (FanDuel Sportsbook). The IEB described the alleged conduct as "impermissible proxy wagering" in violation of section 11(a) of chapter 23N of the General Laws and provisions of 205 CMR 248.17. The memorandum that moved the case to enforcement was signed by Senior Enforcement Counsel Zachary Mercer and dated 26 October.

The complaint follows the admission by Bill Simmons on his 30 August podcast that proxy wagers had been placed on his FanDuel account in Massachusetts through an acquaintance who was physically in the state. FanDuel self-reported the matter to the regulator the day after the podcast, voided the wagers and actioned the account.

The facts the IEB recorded

The IEB memo lists 22 wagers placed on 5, 7 and 19 August with a combined handle of $21,800. The memorandum labels these as potential violations; it explicitly states nothing has been proved. The statutory citation, chapter 23N section 11(a), is the restricted-wagering provision that requires operators to use commercially reasonable methods to prevent prohibited people from betting. Rule 205 CMR 248.17 governs account suspension and includes an operator's duty to suspend an account where there is evidence of a terms violation.

"The IEB has not foreclosed any condition going forward here," Senior Enforcement Counsel Zachary Mercer said, according to the record.

Commissioner Paul Brodeur asked whether enforcement would be directed at FanDuel, Bill Simmons or the person who placed the bets; Mercer replied as above. Commissioner Eileen O'Brien warned that proxy betting is "one of the huge issues" with young and college-age bettors and expressed disturbance at what she characterised as a lack of appreciation that proxy wagering is illegal.

Why the respondent is FanDuel, not Simmons

The matter is brought against the licensee, BetFair Interactive US, LLC (FanDuel Sportsbook), rather than Simmons himself because the regulator's enforcement power flows through its licensees. The hearing will test what controls FanDuel had in place, what those controls caught, and what the operator did once it knew or should have known about the account activity. FanDuel's self-report and the voiding of the wagers are recorded in the IEB memo and will be part of the record at hearing.

Fanatics referred for missed patron notices

A separate IEB memorandum on the same agenda names FBG Enterprises Opco, LLC, trading as Fanatics Betting and Gaming, for failing to notify 132 Massachusetts patrons between 29 July and 7 September 2026 that their wagering had been limited. Rule 205 CMR 238.30(11), which took effect on 1 June 2026, requires operators to provide a patron timely notice of a limit with a specific explanation and the markets affected. Commissioners asked for further investigation and an enforcement hearing on the Fanatics matter.

Commissioner Brodeur framed the issue as whether the missed notices were a technical glitch or a systematic failure. The IEB agenda also carried a Fanatics refer-a-friend matter covering 71 users and 102 links from 27 March, and a separate item noting BetMGM's acceptance on 23 October 2025 of wagers from accounts outside Massachusetts or that should have been blocked.

Other enforcement items and fines

The commission approved fines for unrelated matters on the same agenda: $7,500 and $10,000 on Caesars Sportsbook and $7,500 on MGM Springfield for offering unauthorised markets, as recorded in the IEB materials and reported by external coverage.

What the hearing will decide

The adjudicatory proceeding will establish the public record on the operator's obligations when one FanDuel account is used by more than one person, and on the steps an operator must take under chapter 23N and 205 CMR when it suspects a terms breach. The IEB's reference to the account-suspension rule suggests the commission will examine how FanDuel handled the account once it was aware of the alleged proxy activity.

The Fanatics referral will test whether the new timely-notice requirement in 205 CMR 238.30(11) is being implemented operationally or ignored. The commission's response to both matters will set precedents on account integrity and the specific duty to explain limits to patrons.