Bryce Harper issued a response after he was accused of sending a personalized video to a gambling addict on FanDuel’s behalf.
In 2024, Harper sent a personalized message to Terry Thompson, a FanDuel VIP who had lost nearly $2 million betting through the platform. The video was obtained by David Gambacorta of the Philadelphia Inquirer, and Harper is seen thanking Thompson for his support and mentioning that he is reaching out on behalf of Thompson’s VIP manager at FanDuel. A FanDuel logo also appears on the screen during the video.
On Monday, Harper said he had no knowledge of what the video was for, and it had been requested through Cameo, a website allowing fans to pay for personalized messages from celebrities. Harper said he had read the script provided in good faith, and that he was not aware that it would be used as a gambling promotion.
“The request included a short script. I read it in good faith,” Harper said on Instagram. “FanDuel then put its own logo on the video and used it as a gambling promotion. I did not know FanDuel would do this, I did not consent to it, and FanDuel had no right to do it.
“Had I known FanDuel’s true intent, I would not have made the video. The same is true had I known anything about Terry or his situation, or about any alleged ‘partnership’ between Cameo and FanDuel.”
Bryce Harper‘s statement:
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) July 13, 2026
“In response to a recent article in The Philadelphia Inquirer, I want to provide the following facts.
I joined Cameo to engage with fans through paid personalized videos.
What happened here went beyond anything I knew about or approved.
In November… pic.twitter.com/EbWkVG9Mrs
Thompson is part of a lawsuit against FanDuel and DraftKings alleging that the companies use their products to maximize addiction. Harper is not named in the suit, but the video he recorded came to light as a result of it.
Harper’s situation is the latest example of the difficult balance leagues have tried to strike with legalized sports gambling. MLB is also dealing with a scandal in which two former Cleveland Guardians players are facing prison time for conspiring with gamblers to rig the outcome of certain in-game events.
