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Federal lawmakers want FanDuel to hand over personalized celebrity videos sent to VIP customers and explain what it knew about the recipients’ gambling habits. Their latest request sets an Oct. 20 deadline for a response.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Reps. Paul Tonko and Valerie Foushee sent the letter Oct. 6 after FanDuel reported arranging about 30 messages from athletes and entertainers over two years.
The inquiry follows a Bryce Harper greeting sent to a Pennsylvania customer who had lost $1.5 million on the platform, according to the lawmakers. FanDuel maintains that the videos recognized loyalty rather than persuaded customers to keep betting.
Harper greeting raises questions about VIP rewards
The customer, Terry Thompson, alleges in a lawsuit that FanDuel supplied VIP benefits as his gambling problems worsened. The alleged perks included event tickets, hotel stays and credits for betting.
Harper recorded Thompson’s greeting through the personalized-video service Cameo. The Philadelphia Phillies player later said he had not agreed to its use as a FanDuel promotion and had no affiliation with FanDuel.
Lawmakers are now seeking information about the other celebrity recordings and the customers who received them.
Request covers betting losses and attempts to cut back
The Oct. 6 letter asks FanDuel to document recipients’ wagering activity and winnings or losses before each message was delivered.
It also seeks records of any previous requests to suspend accounts, pause notifications, or restrict gambling.
For each video, the lawmakers want the VIP host’s reason for choosing the recipient and details of checks for gambling harm or financial difficulties. The request also covers the service supplying each recording and the celebrity’s awareness of its connection to the sportsbook.
They also want to know whether data used to identify gambling harm helps FanDuel select customers for promotions and VIP rewards.
FanDuel says VIP staff must escalate warning signs
FanDuel’s Sept. 24 response says its VIP service reaches a small fraction of customers and is intended to build loyalty.
The company says account managers receive training to flag statements about difficulty paying for necessities, a desire to stop gambling, or possible self-harm. Rewards above certain levels require additional approval, and hosts must communicate through approved company channels.
Its account monitoring combines automated checks with staff reviews of changes in wagers, deposits and withdrawals, customer language, and time spent on the platform.
When a customer says they want to gamble less, FanDuel says employees assist with responsible gambling tools or seek an account assessment from its responsible gaming team. That can lead to deposit restrictions, a temporary suspension, or a full ban.
FanDuel says it supports decisions to stop or reduce gambling for responsible gaming reasons without offering incentives to reverse them.
It intends to keep the VIP program operating.
Michigan offers separate exclusions for online and casino gambling
Michigan players can apply to the Michigan Gaming Control Board’s Responsible Gaming Database to block access to regulated online casino gaming, online sports betting or both.
Participants choose a one-year or five-year exclusion. They cannot end it early, and their names are removed automatically when the selected period expires.
The MGCB accepts applications in person or by email or mail with notarization. Its self-exclusion guidance also explains that operators may extend restrictions to affiliated gambling services or properties.
Exclusion from Detroit’s three commercial casinos requires enrollment in the separate Disassociated Persons List.
For gambling-related support, Michigan residents can reach the state’s problem gambling helpline through 1-800-GAMBLER, available 24 hours a day.
