Share 
Three members of Congress are demanding that FanDuel eliminate its VIP rewards program for bettors, putting fresh pressure on one of the biggest U.S. sportsbook operators over responsible gambling practices.
In letters sent to FanDuel, Major League Baseball, and the MLB Players Association, Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Reps. Paul D. Tonko and Valerie P. Foushee said the company should stop using VIP perks that can encourage harmful betting behavior. The lawmakers also urged MLB and the union to prohibit players from promotional work for gambling companies.
Lawmakers tie request to Bryce Harper video controversy
The push followed reporting on a FanDuel VIP manager sending a personal Bryce Harper video greeting in 2024 to Terry Thompson, a Pennsylvania bettor who later lost $1.5 million wagering with FanDuel and had a gambling addiction, according to the source report.
Harper said he recorded the 21-second message through Cameo and did not know FanDuel would use it as a reward for a gambler. In their letter to FanDuel CEO Christian Genetski, the lawmakers wrote that the company should not use “reckless and unscrupulous loyalty programs” to drive bettors into debt and addiction.
They asked Genetski to respond by Aug. 24 to eight questions, including whether FanDuel VIP managers have sent other videos from athletes or celebrities to gamblers and what safeguards the company uses to monitor managers for predatory offers to problem gamblers.
MLB and MLBPA also face questions over sportsbook promotions
In a separate letter, the lawmakers argued that league and union rules helped enable the Harper promotion. MLB’s collective bargaining agreement currently allows players to appear in ads or make personal appearances for casinos, racetracks, and sportsbook operators as long as they do not encourage betting on baseball.
The lawmakers described that policy gap as a “systemic failure” and asked MLB Commissioner Robert D. Manfred and MLBPA executive director Bruce Meyer to change it.
What players should watch next
The clearest near-term date is Aug. 24, the deadline for FanDuel’s response. The story is also part of a broader debate over sportsbook VIP programs: Pennsylvania officials are separately planning legislation that would restrict or eliminate VIP programs and in-game microbets, while the Sports Betting Alliance has said it will oppose that effort.
For bettors, the key issue is whether regulators, lawmakers, or sports leagues push for tighter limits on VIP marketing aimed at high-value customers and people showing signs of gambling harm.
—
Source: As reported by David Gambacorta.
