Philadelphia Phillies star first baseman Bryce Harper is embroiled in a lawsuit against FanDuel. A bettor who lost millions on the platform is suing the company.
Terry Thompson allegedly gambled $18.5 million with the sports betting operator. He alleges that FanDuel helped fuel his gambling addiction via perks and VIP treatment. As part of the events surrounding the case, the Philadelphia Inquirer recently reported that Harper recorded a Cameo video for Thompson.
FanDuel paid for the video and sent it to Thompson as a reward. Harper mentions Thompson by name and references his young son. The nine-time all-star doesn’t wear any FanDuel merchandise, but the video Thompson received included the company’s logo.
In the video, Harper said that Thompson’s FanDuel VIP manager wished Thompson had an “extra special Thanksgiving.” MLB rules allow players to promote gambling-related businesses as long as they don’t advocate betting on baseball, according to the Inquirer.
Harper Denies Any Wrongdoing
In response to the controversy, Harper said he wasn’t aware what the purpose of the video was for. Then, he reaffirmed that he has no affiliation with the sportsbook.
“I did not know FanDuel would do this, I did not consent to it, and FanDuel had no right to do it,” he noted in a statement. “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.”
The Phillies star said “someone identifying themselves only as ‘Bryttanni’” contacted him through the Cameo platform regarding the video. That was a reference to FanDuel VIP manager Bryttanni Morgan. Nobody accused Harper of a crime or breaking MLB rules.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) is now looking into the video to determine if there are any issues regarding state gaming regulations.
“We are aware of the situation and are reviewing it,” PGCB spokesman Doug Harbach told PennLive. “I can’t comment beyond that at this juncture.”
Bettor Scored Super Bowl Tickets & More
Thompson reportedly lost as much as $2 million. He took out two additional mortgages on his home before the bank foreclosed on it. He also sold his shares of an investment company, according to TMZ. His therapist became concerned the gambler would harm himself and at one point sent police to his home.
The plaintiff in the case was eventually placed into a treatment facility for six days. Thompson is also suing DraftKings over similar allegations. Some of the perks he allegedly received included Super Bowl tickets, hotel rooms, parties, and more.
“Thereafter, Plaintiff Thompson continued to lose large sums of money on the FanDuel Sportsbook App, and Defendant Morgan continued to supply him with free tickets to Philadelphia sporting events and free betting credits to ensure that he would do so,” the lawsuit notes.
A FanDuel representative told Outkick that the company 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.”
MLB has faced other gambling controversies in recent months. Federal authorities indicted Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz on charges of rigging pitching prop bets in November.
The league has since pushed to put restrictions on pitching prop bets and players have advocated for banning player prop bets.
