US Lawmakers Demand FanDuel End VIP Program After Bryce Harper Personalized Video Used as Gambling Reward
TL;DR — US Senator Blumenthal and two Representatives demanded FanDuel end its VIP program after Bryce Harper’s Cameo video rewarded a customer who lost $1.5 million following $18.5 million in wagers. Letters also target MLB and MLBPA policies on athlete promotions. FanDuel cited its monitoring tools while MLB and MLBPA declined comment.
SCCG Take — The letters signal regulators will scrutinize personalized athlete promotions tied to high-roller incentives, requiring operators to calibrate loyalty mechanics against mounting compliance exposure.
Three members of Congress have called on FanDuel, MLB and the MLBPA to review policies on loyalty programs and athlete promotions after a personalized video featuring Phillies star Bryce Harper was provided to a VIP sportsbook customer.
US Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Representatives Paul D. Tonko (D-N.Y.) and Valerie P. Foushee (D-N.C.) sent letters to FanDuel CEO Christian Genetski, MLB Commissioner Robert D. Manfred and MLBPA interim executive director Bruce Meyer. The correspondence follows reports that the video reached Terry Thompson, a Pennsylvania resident who wagered $18.5 million with FanDuel and later lost $1.5 million.
A lawsuit filed by the Public Health Advocacy Institute on Thompson’s behalf accuses FanDuel and DraftKings of using VIP practices to encourage ongoing betting. Thompson received the Harper video and other perks after placing large wagers.
Details of the Harper Video and Athlete Consent
The 21-second video was recorded through the Cameo platform in November 2024. A user identifying as ‘Bryttanni’ requested a ‘holiday video for Terry’ and supplied a short script. Harper recorded the message in good faith.
Harper later stated he was unaware the video would be repurposed by FanDuel as a gambling promotion. “I joined Cameo to engage with fans through paid personalized videos. What happened here went beyond anything I knew about or approved,” Harper wrote. He added that FanDuel placed its logo on the video without his consent and that he would not have participated had he known its intended use.
According to World Casino News, the lawmakers argue that current MLB rules permitting player appearances in sportsbook promotions fail to address personalized content directed at VIP customers. These partnerships, they wrote, can drive vulnerable individuals into debt and addiction.
FanDuel Defense and Pending Responses
The congressional letters specifically demand that FanDuel end its VIP reward program, with the lawmakers arguing that FanDuel should not be using reckless and unscrupulous loyalty programs to drive bettors into debt and addiction. They also seek responses from MLB and the MLBPA on whether players should continue in promotions linked to VIP gambling programs as the parties renegotiate their collective bargaining agreement.
FanDuel declined to end the program. The company said customer protection shapes every decision and that it deploys monitoring systems to detect harmful gambling behavior. “Customer protection informs every decision we make as an organization, and we do not compromise when it comes to doing the right thing for our customers,” a FanDuel spokesperson said. MLB and the MLBPA have not issued statements in response.
The episode places existing sportsbook-league arrangements under direct congressional examination.
Reporting: World Casino News
Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.
Personalized athlete content rewarding high-roller losses just moved VIP programs into regulators' crosshairs—fast.
We've watched VIP programs evolve across every regulated market for three decades. This is the flashpoint: when personalized athlete content meets high-roller mechanics, compliance risk explodes. Operators building loyalty tiers need to separate entertainment perks from loss-based triggers before lawmakers do it for them. The scrutiny is here.
- Senator Blumenthal and two Reps demand FanDuel end VIP program after Harper video rewarded customer who lost $1.5M on $18.5M wagered
- Harper says he was unaware Cameo video would be used as gambling promotion; FanDuel added logo without consent
- Letters target MLB and MLBPA policies on athlete promotions tied to high-roller incentives
SCCG angle: SCCG connects operators to responsible gaming architects and compliance counsel who redesign VIP mechanics to reward engagement, not loss velocity. Our network includes the former regulators and loyalty designers who can fireproof programs before legislative pressure arrives. We've guided partners through every compliance pivot in every regulated market.
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