FanDuel Pressed to Reveal Celebrity Videos Sent to High-Rolling Gamblers

Three US lawmakers are demanding that FanDuel hand over around 30 personalized celebrity videos it sent to VIP gamblers amid concerns that the messages may have been used to encourage problem gamblers to keep betting.

The demand follows revelations that Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper recorded a video greeting for a FanDuel customer who allegedly lost $1.5 million gambling on the platform.

Thompson later contemplated suicide over his gambling losses, but police intervened after he contacted his therapist, according to his lawsuit.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Reps. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) and Valerie Foushee (D-N.C.) have given FanDuel until Oct. 20 to provide the videos, along with details of the recipients’ gambling histories and how they were selected.

$1.5M Gambling Losses

The Philadelphia Inquirer first reported in July that Harper had recorded a personalized Thanksgiving message for Thompson, who is suing FanDuel and DraftKings for allegedly exploiting his gambling addiction.

Thompson claims he wagered $18.5 million through FanDuel between 2020 and 2025, losing approximately $1.5 million.

The 21-second video, arranged through celebrity messaging service Cameo by Thompson’s FanDuel VIP manager, included a reference to Thompson’s young son and a Thanksgiving greeting from the baseball star.

Harper subsequently said he hadn’t realized the video would be used as a FanDuel promotion and would never have recorded it had he known.

“I did not consent to it, and FanDuel had no right to do it,” Harper said in July.

The incident sparked a congressional investigation into FanDuel’s VIP program, which rewards high-spending customers with personalized attention and perks.

‘Let’s See the Receipts’

In a Sept. 24 statement, FanDuel acknowledged sending approximately 30 personalized videos featuring athletes and entertainers over the previous two years.

The company described them as tokens of appreciation for customer loyalty and denied using them to encourage additional gambling.

But the lawmakers are unconvinced.

They want FanDuel to disclose how much each recipient had wagered and lost, whether they had previously tried to limit their gambling, and why VIP managers selected them for the messages.

They also want to know whether the celebrities understood their videos would be used in connection with gambling promotions.

The inquiry extends to FanDuel’s use of customer data, particularly whether information collected to identify potential problem gamblers is also used to target customers with bonuses and other incentives.

“Well, FanDuel, let’s see the receipts,” Blumenthal wrote on X.

FanDuel maintains that its VIP staff are trained to recognize signs of gambling harm and that the program is intended to retain customers rather than encourage excessive betting.

The company has said it has no plans to discontinue the VIP program.