FanDuel Tells Congress Its Responsible Gaming Rules Apply to VIP Players Too After Harper Promo Video Backlash

FanDuel has replied to criticism over a promotional video sent to Terry Thompson, a VIP customer who is suing the company and other sportsbooks over alleged predatory behavior. In a letter to three US Members of Congress, the operator said its responsible gaming standards apply to all players, while VIP candidates are screened more heavily before being admitted.

1. Senator Richard Blumenthal, Representative Paul Tonko and Representative Valerie Foushee asked the MLB for answers after a FanDuel promo video featuring pro baseball player Bryce Harper surfaced. The video was sent to Thompson, a FanDuel VIP user, and was framed as a gift from Thompson’s host.
2. Harper later said he did not know the recipient was a problem gambler. Thompson has said he was a high-roller who bet some $18.5 million on FanDuel, and FanDuel rewarded that activity with gifts, sports tickets and other incentives, including the video message.
3. FanDuel said both regular and VIP players are subject to the same responsible gaming treatment under the local frameworks in the 26 states where it operates. The company added that players are carefully screened before entering the VIP program, and that VIP hosts are trained to recognize problem gambling patterns.
4. The operator also said its hosts are not paid based on whether clients win or lose, and that it has streamlined escalation channels to identify potential harm among VIP members. FanDuel said customers who tell the company they are experiencing a gambling problem or addiction are “immediately and permanently excluded from every FanDuel product.”
5. FanDuel said its parent company spends $158 million a year on responsible gaming and noted that it is a founding member of the Responsible Online Gaming Association. The company said it shares Congress’ goal of protecting players from harm and remains committed to “continuously strengthening” its responsible gaming and player protection efforts.

The piece that matters for PSPs and operators is simple enough: VIP is not a separate regulatory universe. When regulators, lawmakers, or plaintiffs start looking at player-protection controls, the higher-spend segment tends to get the most scrutiny, not the least.