Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper released a statement via social media to address a personalized video he sent to FanDuel customer Terry Thompson, who filed a lawsuit against the operator in March for allegedly taking advantage of his gambling addiction.
On the website Cameo, Harper filmed a 21-second video for Thompson in November 2024, where the Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star addresses Thompson – and his son – by name, while the clip is also marked with a FanDuel logo.
“I did not know this video would be used for commercial purposes. The request included a short script. I read it in good faith. FanDuel then put its own logo on the video and used it as a gambling promotion,” Harper said.
“I did not know FanDuel would do this, I did not consent to it and FanDuel had no right to do it. Contrary to the Inquirer’s suggestion, I did not know that the Cameo video would be used for a FanDuel VIP promotion."
Despite the clarity Harper tries to provide for his perspective, the script he also shared on social media includes an attribution to “your host Bryttanni (Morgan) at FanDuel.”
Harper continued: “Had I known FanDuel’s true intent, I would not have made the video. The same is true had I known anything about Terry or his situation, or about any alleged ‘partnership’ between Cameo and FanDuel.”
Thompson sued FanDuel, Morgan, DraftKings, the NFL and Genius Sports for allegedly causing him to become a gambling addict, leading to approximately $2m in losses.
The FanDuel customer alleges Morgan sent him promotional offers and gifts as encouragement to wager additional funds, such as hotel accommodations and even tickets to the Super Bowl. At the time of writing, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board continues to review the matter as part of its own investigation.
FanDuel released its own statement as well, having said, “FanDuel is committed to fostering a culture of responsible gaming and protecting our customers.
“Unlike illegal offshore sportsbooks, FanDuel employees are trained to recognize and flag signs of problem gambling and offer resources and tools, and we continue to review and strengthen our policies to ensure we have the industry’s strongest consumer protection initiatives.”
The MLB’s collective bargaining agreement allows players to participate in promotions with sportsbooks as long as they do not authorize the use of their name, uniform number, image, likeness or promote betting on baseball.
The Phillies, MLB and Cameo are all yet to comment on the lawsuit or Harper’s involvement, while the former Most Valuable Player chose not to speak further on the advice of legal counsel.
FanDuel confirmed its anticipated entry into Alberta’s newly regulated online gambling market on July 8, joining operators such as DraftKings, Caesars Entertainment and BetMGM
