Pennsylvania Regulator to Review Bryce Harper FanDuel Video to VIP User

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has confirmed it is looking into a video featuring Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper that FanDuel sent in 2024 to one of its VIP customers. 

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The bettor, Terry Thompson, had been struggling with a gambling addiction at the time, and the 21‑second clip shows Harper greeting Thompson and his son before thanking Thompson for his support. 

“We are aware of the situation and are reviewing it,” Doug Harbach, a spokesperson for the board, stated on Friday. “I can’t comment beyond that at this juncture.” The matter was first reported by ESPN’s David Purdum, who highlighted the board’s interest in the case.

FanDuel reportedly obtained the video from Cameo

The video of Bryce Harper that FanDuel sent to Terry Thompson did not show the Phillies star in company gear, but FanDuel’s logo was added to the clip. Harper explained that he was reaching out at the request of “your host Bryttanni at FanDuel” who wanted Thompson to have an “extra special Thanksgiving.”

According to a source familiar with the matter, FanDuel obtained the recording through Cameo, the platform where fans can pay athletes, celebrities, and musicians to deliver personalized messages. 

The Inquirer reported that it found no evidence Harper has a business relationship with FanDuel or that he knew Thompson was struggling with gambling addiction. 

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Harper declined to comment through the Phillies. Cameo itself did not respond to requests for comment. On its website, the company notes that performers have discretion over how they fulfill requests: “You acknowledge and agree that the Talent User has sole discretion to determine how to fulfill your request and the content of the CAMEO Video created, and may not follow your request exactly.”

Thompson in legal battle against FanDuel

Thompson’s gambling losses have now become the subject of a lawsuit filed in Philadelphia’s Common Pleas Court. 

The Public Health Advocacy Institute brought the case in March on his behalf, targeting both FanDuel and DraftKings. Court filings state that beginning in 2020, Thompson wagered a total of $18.5 million with FanDuel, losing $1.5 million, while also suffering losses with DraftKings. Harper is not named in the suit. 

Thompson’s attorneys argue that his addiction was fueled by microbets, small, in‑game wagers on details like the speed of a pitch. They say this pattern continued until February, when he lost his final $10,000 on a DraftKings parlay. 

At that point, broke and overwhelmed, Thompson confided in his therapist that he intended to take his own life. Police intervened before he could act. 

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Source: The Inquirer