A VIP customer of FanDuel, Terry Thompson, nearly lost it all after gambling away $18.5 million and his house. The incident came to light when Thompson mentioned Bryce Harper’s video in the lawsuit he filed against betting apps like FanDuel and DraftKings. Harper’s involvement has raised questions about MLB’s existing rules surrounding such endorsements. Owing to that, three U.S. congressmen have sent a letter to MLB and the MLB Players’ Association (MLBPA), demanding prohibitory action.

“Three Congress members sent a letter to Major League Baseball and its players’ association Monday to prohibit promotional deals with betting operators after Phillies star Bryce Harper was featured in a video for a FanDuel VIP reward customer,” reported CBS Philadelphia on X.

U.S. Sen. Richard Bluementhal and U.S. Reps. Paul Tonko and Valerie Foushee took the initiative to send the letter to the league and the players’ union.

MLB strictly prohibits players from placing bets or encouraging others to do the same, while it allows players to endorse those brands under the current CBA as long as they do not encourage betting. With the current CBA expiring on December 1, the MLBPA had proposed banning player prop bets in the upcoming agreement. And now their proposal from June received extra backing with the letter from Congressmen.

“This incident, however, raises broader concerns that players are not prohibited from such endorsements and highlights a systemic failure rooted in the deep enmeshment between leagues, teams, and sportsbooks. In fact, MLB rules currently allow players to enter endorsement deals with sportsbooks so long as they do not encourage betting on baseball,” read the letter, per CBS.

“Partnerships that do not violate this rule can even use personalized content from players to drive vulnerable fans into debt and addiction. This is a failure that Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) must confront directly, especially as both are in the midst of renegotiating their collective bargaining agreement.”

The video that was sent to Thompson in November 2024 featured Harper wishing him a Happy Thanksgiving. The video had a FanDuel watermark, albeit he had no partnership with the app. Harper was also unaware of the video’s purpose. On his Instagram account, the 33-year-old revealed he had recorded the video for an app called Cameo. The Phillies veteran even posted a screenshot of the request he received. The app allows users to pay celebrities to record personalized videos. For Terry Thompson, Harper even mentioned his son in the video.

Since Thompson was deep into betting, he obtained VIP status with FanDuel. He got Super Bowl tickets and champagne as rewards. Those rewards only pushed him deeper. Thompson also bet on DraftKings, wagering away his last $10,000. He incurred losses worth $1.5 million in total.

After Thompson mentioned his name in the lawsuit, Harper clarified his stance.

“Had I known FanDuel’s true intent, I would not have made the video,” Harper reportedly stated. “The same is true had I known anything about Terry or his situation, or about any alleged ‘partnership’ between Cameo and FanDuel.”

This incident raises questions about the accountability of sports personalities who influence fans. It also puts MLB’s stance on protecting its fans from betting under scrutiny. And now, these congressmen are questioning the league and the union, demanding answers before August 24.