Bill Simmons Betting Investigation: What Happened
Alex Harper • Sep 2, 2026 
Reviewed By Paul Jacobs
Casino Expert
The Fanatics sportsbook fine totals $20,000, confirmed by the Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission on August 27, 2026. Fanatics signed the underlying settlement agreement on June 10, 2026.
Two promotional texts to an already self-excluded bettor triggered the penalty. Fanatics admitted the violation and agreed to pay.
What Self-Exclusion Is Supposed to Stop
Self-exclusion lets a bettor voluntarily ban themselves from betting apps for a set period, sometimes years at a time. Once a player joins Colorado’s self-exclusion program, licensed operators must stop all marketing contact with that account, including texts, calls, emails, and mail.
Colorado currently has more than 1,200 people on its self-exclusion list.
How Fanatics Broke the Rule
A Fanatics VIP host texted the bettor, listed as T.M. in state filings, on February 1, 2026. T.M. had self-excluded just over two weeks earlier, on January 15, for a five-year term. Fanatics caught the mistake by February 4 and trained its VIP staff on the rule.
That training didn’t stop a repeat. The same customer received a second promotional text on February 17, more than a month into his exclusion.
Why the Fanatics Sportsbook Fine Was $20,000
Colorado uses a progressive discipline framework for gaming violations. Officials calculate each fine using the number of violations and any steps the operator takes to fix the problem. A repeat violation like this one can draw penalties up to $25,000 per infraction under state rules.
Fanatics self-reported the breach to regulators and cooperated with the investigation. That cooperation likely kept the fine below the statutory maximum.
What Fanatics Has to Do Next
The settlement requires more than a payment. Fanatics must:
- audit communications sent to roughly 1,200 self-excluded Colorado customers between January 2024 and March 2026
- submit a written report of that audit to the Division of Gaming
- retrain VIP staff on self-exclusion rules and provide proof of the training
Fanatics says it retrained VIP staff and made product changes meant to prevent similar mistakes.
Bettors weighing the operator can read our Fanatics Sportsbook review for a full breakdown of its features and terms.
How This Fanatics Sportsbook Fine Compares
Fanatics isn’t the first sportsbook to get caught contacting a self-excluded bettor. The table below compares two recent cases.
| Operator | State | Fine | Violation |
| Fanatics Sportsbook | Colorado | $20,000 | Texted a self-excluded bettor twice |
| Caesars Sportsbook | New Jersey | Nearly $300,000 | Self-excluded patrons could still place bets |
Regulators nationwide are watching VIP programs closely. VIP hosts build close, personal relationships with high-value bettors. That closeness raises the stakes when a self-exclusion flag gets missed.
FanDuel’s VIP outreach has also drawn scrutiny this year. A member of Congress criticized how personalized promotions reach vulnerable players.
Colorado’s New Betting Rules Aim to Close These Gaps
SB26-131, signed earlier this year by Governor Jared Polis, tightens how sportsbooks can market to Colorado players. Under the law, operators cannot:
- send push notifications or texts urging inactive users to gamble
- accept credit cards for account funding
- allow more than six deposits per bettor each day
- advertise to anyone under 21
- brand promotions with terms like “bonus bet” or “no sweat”
Self-exclusion only works if sportsbooks honor it every single time. The Fanatics sportsbook fine shows Colorado regulators will enforce that rule, even against a fast-growing operator.
