FanDuel sent a personalised video featuring a baseball star to a player with a gambling addiction
The case came to light after ESPN journalist David Purdum reported on the video and the board’s interest in it. Council spokesperson Doug Harbach confirmed the review was underway but declined to provide further details.
What happened
Thompson received a 21-second video in which Harper greets him and his son and thanks them for their support. In the clip, the baseball player mentioned a FanDuel employee named Brittany as the person behind the message. According to The Inquirer, FanDuel commissioned the video via the Cameo platform, where celebrities record personalised messages for a fee. Harper was not wearing FanDuel’s branding in the clip, but the operator’s logo was superimposed on the final video.
Council spokesperson Doug Harbach confirmed that an investigation was underway after ESPN published a report on the matter. Harper declined to comment via his representatives at the Phillies. Journalists found no evidence that he had a commercial contract with FanDuel, nor were they able to establish whether he was aware of Thompson’s gambling problems.
Thompson’s Lawsuit and Background
In March 2026, the Public Health Advocacy Institute filed a lawsuit in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas on behalf of Thompson. The defendants were FanDuel and DraftKings. According to the case documents, since 2020, Thompson had wagered a total of $18.5 million via FanDuel and lost $1.5 million. He also incurred further losses on the DraftKings platform.
Thompson’s lawyers claim that his addiction developed against a backdrop of micro-betting, small, real-time bets on specific moments during a match, such as the speed of a pitch. The final incident was the loss of $10,000 on a parlay bet on DraftKings. Following this, Thompson told his therapist of his intention to take his own life. The police intervened in time.
Why this matters
The practice of VIP services among US bookmakers has long raised concerns among regulators. Personalised videos from celebrities, bonuses from personal account managers, and special offers at times of high player activity are all retention tools which, in the case of problem gamblers, work against their best interests.
An investigation in Pennsylvania does not automatically result in a fine or public exposure. However, the very fact that it has been launched suggests that VIP marketing in the US is increasingly coming under regulatory scrutiny. Legal proceedings against FanDuel and DraftKings are ongoing. Harper is not named in them.