Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper responded to a recent report that he was featured in a personalized video that sports betting company FanDuel sent to a man with a gambling addiction.
The Philadelphia Inquirer first reported on the video on Thursday, July 9. In the article, a man who said he lost around $1.5 million on FanDuel bets due to his gambling addiction, claimed the company sent him a personalized video message from Harper. In the video, Harper names the man, acknowledges his son and thanks him for the support, according to the Inquirer.
Attorneys for the nonprofit Public Health Advocacy Institute filed a lawsuit in March on behalf of the man and another plaintiff, according to the Inquirer. The lawsuit accuses FanDuel and the sportsbook company DraftKings of using their products and VIP services to maximize addiction, the Inquirer reported. Harper was not named in the lawsuit.
On Monday, July 13, hours before he was set to compete in the MLB All-Star Home Run Derby, Harper addressed the article in his Instagram stories.
In the message, Harper claimed he had joined the video-sharing website Cameo to engage with fans. He said in November 2024, someone who identified themselves as “Bryttanni” had submitted an order through Cameo asking him to record a personal “holiday video for Terry.”
Harper also posted a screenshot of what he claims was the initial request from “Bryttanni.”
“Cameo had a separate category for business video requests, and at the time I did not know this video would be used for commercial purposes,” Harper wrote. “That request included a short script. I read it in good faith.”
Harper claims FanDuel then added its own logo to the video and used it on a gambling promotion without his knowledge or consent. He also claimed he did not know the video would be used for FanDuel’s VIP promotion and denied having any affiliation with FanDuel.
“Had I known FanDuel’s true intent, I would not have made the video,” Harper wrote. “The same is true had I known anything about Terry or his situation, or about any alleged ‘partnership’ between Cameo and FanDuel.”
NBC10 reached out to FanDuel who sent a response early Monday evening.
“FanDuel is committed to fostering a culture of responsible gaming and protecting our customers,” a spokesperson for the company wrote. “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.”