The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is reviewing a 21-second Bryce Harper video that FanDuel sent in 2024 to Terry Thompson, a VIP bettor who was struggling with a gambling addiction. The board said on Friday that it was aware of the situation and was looking into it.
Doug Harbach, a board spokesman, said, “We are aware of the situation and are reviewing it,” and added that he could not comment further at this stage. It was not clear whether regulators had contacted FanDuel or Harper. ESPN’s David Purdum first reported the board’s interest.
The video itself, obtained by The Inquirer, shows Harper greeting Thompson and Thompson’s son before thanking Thompson for his support. Harper says he was reaching out at the request of Thompson’s VIP manager, “your host Bryttanni at FanDuel,” who wanted an “extra special Thanksgiving.”
Front Office Sports reported that the message was purchased through Cameo, and that Harper did not know it would be used as part of FanDuel’s VIP bettor program. The outlet also said three sources told it FanDuel does not have a professional relationship with Harper. There is no evidence that Harper had an official FanDuel partnership, and he has not commented publicly.
Thompson’s betting history gives the clip its backdrop. According to The Inquirer, he began by placing a FanDuel wager on the Philadelphia Eagles as the 2020 NFL season started, then moved into microbets. He ultimately wagered about $18.5 million with FanDuel, which made him a VIP.
The Inquirer said FanDuel VIP status requires 600,000 points, with five points awarded for every dollar paid on a contest entry fee. The same reporting said FanDuel VIP perks included champagne and Super Bowl tickets.
The losses were steep. The Inquirer reported that Thompson lost about $1.5 million on FanDuel, while Front Office Sports said he claimed losses of $1.52 million on FanDuel and $336,000 on DraftKings. The reporting also says he covered losses with second and third mortgages, later faced foreclosure, and sold shares in an investment company he had run for two decades.
A March lawsuit filed in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court by attorneys for the Public Health Advocacy Institute accuses FanDuel and DraftKings of using promotional offers and gifts to maximize addiction. It names FanDuel VIP host Bryttani Morgan as a defendant and says she offered Super Bowl tickets, accommodations and other luxuries, including tickets to Eagles, Flyers and Sixers games, to keep Thompson betting. The video itself is not mentioned in the suit, and Harper is not named as a defendant.
FanDuel said it is “committed to fostering a culture of responsible gaming and protecting our customers” and that its employees are trained to recognize and flag signs of problem gambling and offer resources and tools. Fox News Digital also reported that Thompson hid his addiction from loved ones, planned to take his own life, and later spent six days in a psychiatric facility, where he was formally diagnosed with a gambling disorder.
