Pennsylvania’s gaming regulator is reviewing a Bryce Harper video that FanDuel sent to a VIP bettor, after the clip drew fresh scrutiny over sportsbook loyalty schemes and how they interact with problem gambling.
Board spokesman Doug Harbach said the agency is aware of the situation and is reviewing it, but would not comment further. It is still unclear whether the board has contacted FanDuel or Harper.
Front Office Sports first reported that Harper recorded the 21-second message in November 2024 and that FanDuel obtained it through Cameo. The outlet said Harper did not know the video would be used in FanDuel’s VIP program, and three sources said FanDuel had no professional relationship with him. Two of those sources said a FanDuel employee bought the video and provided a script, while the clip was described as a personal video rather than a business one, meaning it would not carry commercial use rights. Front Office Sports also said it remains unclear how the message was approved internally.
The clip itself is personal in tone. Harper addresses Terry Thompson by name, acknowledges Thompson’s young son, says a FanDuel VIP host wanted to make sure he had an “extra special Thanksgiving,” and thanks him for his support. The video carries the FanDuel logo, but does not explicitly mention betting.
The Inquirer said it obtained a copy of the video and identified Thompson as a bettor with a gambling addiction. According to that report, Thompson wagered about $18.5 million with FanDuel and lost $1.5 million, and the personalized message arrived in late November 2024 after steep losses. He first bet on FanDuel in late 2020, on the Eagles, and later became one of the company’s VIP customers.
Thompson’s VIP relationship brought a steady stream of perks. His host, Bryttanni Morgan, texted him about the Eagles and personal matters, asked in December 2022 whether he wanted to “take a little break and start fresh in the New Year,” and later offered two Super Bowl LVII tickets, free transportation and tickets to Sports Illustrated and FanDuel parties. FanDuel also flew Thompson and his son to Super Bowl LVI in California, with access to the field and celebrities including Chris Rock.
The same report said FanDuel’s VIP system awarded five points for every dollar spent on contest entry fees, with 600,000 points needed to qualify and points expiring after a year of inactivity. Thompson later entered a psychiatric facility for treatment after the glamour perks faded earlier this year.
The reaction has been sharp even though the video does not explicitly urge Thompson to bet. Experts quoted by The Inquirer said it raises concerns about how sportsbooks use celebrity access and personal attention. Leigh Steinberg called it “bad for sports” and “exploitative,” Danny Funt said he had never heard of an active player, let alone a former MVP, doing something like it, and Jodi Balsam asked whether the sportsbook was trying to “wring every cent” out of an addicted gambler.
The case also sits inside a wider debate about sportsbook VIP programs. The Inquirer said MLB’s labour rules allow players to appear in advertisements or make personal appearances for casinos, racetracks or sportsbook companies as long as they do not encourage betting on baseball, while the NFL bars players from marketing any form of gambling and the NBA allows limited promotional work and passive ownership stakes below 1% if players do not encourage betting on basketball. The paper also said MLB has sportsbook partnerships, but there is no evidence they sanctioned this video.
WBUR reported that the Massachusetts Gaming Commission has already been reviewing VIP programs used by sportsbooks, with Chair Jordan Maynard saying they should not be predatory. Commission officials have warned that VIP customers are linked to higher-risk gambling behaviour, and Massachusetts research found online sportsbooks tended to restrict customers who win regularly while extending VIP status and rewards mainly to those who lose often. The Inquirer also said the Public Health Advocacy Institute filed suit in March in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court on behalf of Thompson and another plaintiff, alleging FanDuel and DraftKings use products and VIP services to intentionally maximise addiction. Harper is not named in that case.
FanDuel said it is committed to responsible gaming and protecting customers, and that employees are trained to spot problem gambling and offer resources and tools. It said it continues to review and strengthen its consumer-protection policies.
