Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper said Monday he didn’t know a Cameo video would be used by FanDuel to further the company’s relationship with a VIP customer and addicted gambler, and he insists he never gave consent.
Harper’s comments suggest he could pursue legal claims against FanDuel for false endorsement, misappropriation, invasion of privacy and related causes of action.
The video became a national topic last week when The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on it as part of a story on Terry Thompson, who wagered $18.5 million with FanDuel and lost $1.5 million. As Sportico first reported in March, Thompson is suing FanDuel, as well as DraftKings, the NFL and Genius Sports, for causing him to become addicted to sports betting. The gist of the case is that live, rapid and in-play wagering options known as microbetting constitute design defects. These options are alleged to facilitate and promote live in-game wagers at any point during a game.
Thompson told The Inquirer the Harper video was a “FanDuel reward” in 2024 that “momentarily distracted him” from his gambling debts. The 21-second video features Harper wishing Thompson and his family a happy Thanksgiving. Harper doesn’t refer, or even allude, to sports betting, though he says Thompson’s “host Bryttanni from FanDuel” wanted Harper to make sure Thompson’s Thanksgiving “was extra special.”
