In Brief

FanDuel, a sports betting app, is being sued for allegedly using VIP perks to deepen customers’ gambling addictions. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Phillies star and two-time MLB MVP Bryce Harper sent a personalized video message to Terry Thompson, one of two plaintiffs in the case, as part of FanDuel’s special treatment for big spenders.

FanDuel assigns VIP managers to build personal relationships with high rollers like Thompson, who has wagered $18.5 million with FanDuel since 2020. According to the lawsuit, he eventually took out a second and third mortgage on his home, lost it to foreclosure, and sought psychiatric treatment for gambling addiction. While these companies often woo their top customers with Super Bowl tickets and other perks, the Inquirer found no precedent for an active, star athlete like Harper sending this kind of personal message to a bettor.

In the 21-second video, obtained by The Inquirer, Harper does not directly tell Thompson to gamble; however, he mentions that Thompson’s FanDuel host wanted to ensure that Thompson had an “extra special Thanksgiving.”

The video calls into question the muddied relationship between professional athletes and gambling apps. MLB players are prohibited from gambling — two pitchers, Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, were federally indicted last year for allegedly accepting bribes to fix pitches. However, the MLB partners extensively with sports books and prediction markets like Polymarket, and gambling apps are frequently advertised in ballparks and broadcasts.