Congress asks FanDuel for data on VIP selection and celebrity videos

Three US lawmakers have asked FanDuel for account-level data, copies of celebrity videos and records showing whether responsible-gambling information was used to select VIP customers, with a response due by October 20, 2026. Senators and representatives who signed the letter say FanDuel told Congress it had sent roughly 30 personalised videos from athletes and celebrities to customers over two years, and they now want to see every video and the selection criteria.

What Congress is asking FanDuel to produce

Senator Richard Blumenthal and Representatives Paul Tonko and Valerie Foushee sent the latest request to FanDuel after earlier exchanges in August and September. The lawmakers want detailed records that include: betting wins and losses, account restrictions, prior self-exclusion requests tied to each recipient, and the full set of videos delivered as customer appreciation gifts. They also want copies of materials showing whether the people appearing in the recordings were told how FanDuel would use the content.

The October request expands a probe that began with a single Bryce Harper video. Congressional staff say the inquiry now targets the mechanics of FanDuel's VIP program and whether marketing decisions relied on data that also flags potential gambling harm.

Focus on VIP selection and whether responsible-gambling signals fed marketing

The lawmakers specifically pressed FanDuel to explain what information determines who enters the operator's VIP programme and who receives personalised content. They wrote that FanDuel "claims to monitor a range of behaviors through 'automated and manual proactive reviews to identify players who may be experiencing gambling harm,' yet does not provide a full picture of how it uses this information, including whether that same data is used to target bettors with such predatory promotions."

FanDuel replied to Congress on 24 September, disclosing it had sent about 30 celebrity and athlete videos as customer appreciation gifts over a two‑year period and asserting that personalised messages were not used to encourage continued gambling. Lawmakers were not satisfied and say they need the account-level documentation to reconcile that claim with the operator's responsible-gambling monitoring.

The Harper incident and fallout in sports

The inquiry traces back to a November 2024 Cameo recording by Philadelphia Phillies player Bryce Harper. According to the congressional letter and related litigation, Harper recorded a video at the request of a FanDuel VIP host named Bryttanni. That recording later reached Terry Thompson, a customer who alleges in litigation against FanDuel and DraftKings that betting incentives contributed to his gambling losses. Thompson reportedly lost $1.5 million on FanDuel, a figure cited in the congressional correspondence.

Harper posted on Instagram in July that he "did not know the Cameo video would be used for a FanDuel VIP promotion, and I have no affiliation with FanDuel whatsoever. What happened here went beyond anything I knew about or approved." The Major League Baseball Players Association told reporters in August it would support banning players from making personalised videos for sportsbook VIP promotions.

What the lawmakers want that FanDuel has not yet provided

The October letter asks for a broad set of documents going beyond the earlier responses. Specifically, the lawmakers requested:

• every celebrity or athlete video sent to customers

• the selection criteria and data fields used to pick recipients

• records showing whether self-exclusion, account limits, or other responsible-gambling indicators were present on recipient accounts

• documentation of push notifications, retention bonuses, personalised promotions and other perks offered to those accounts

• communications with the athletes and celebrities about intended uses of their recordings

Congress first contacted FanDuel over the Harper video in August 2026. FanDuel responded soon after and again on 3 September, but the lawmakers said the earlier responses did not answer several questions. The 24 September response added the disclosure about roughly 30 celebrity videos; the October 20 deadline covers the new, more detailed information demand.

Why this matters to operators and vendors

The issue touches two operational areas operators and suppliers must consider: VIP marketing mechanics and the interface with responsible-gambling systems. Platform teams and CRM suppliers should expect regulators and lawmakers to scrutinise whether the same datasets used to flag risky play are accessible to marketing staff or automated promotion engines.

For compliance and product teams, the request highlights data‑governance questions: who within an operator can query behavioural markers, how those queries are logged, and whether marketing segmentation uses attributes derived from manual or automated responsible‑gambling reviews. Vendors that provide CRM, VIP-hosting workflows or risk monitoring should be ready to supply auditors with provenance for any data fields used in personalised outreach.

How sports bodies reacted and the broader implications

Major League Baseball players and their union have reacted publicly to the Harper episode. The Major League Baseball Players Association said in August it would support banning players from making personalised videos for sportsbook VIP promotions. That stance followed Harper’s public denial of knowledge about the video's use and the litigation alleging FanDuel and DraftKings incentivised customers who later suffered large losses.

The congressional probe is narrowly targeted at documentation and selection mechanics, not at imposing an immediate regulatory change. Still, the evidence lawmakers request could influence later legislative or regulatory action if it shows marketing and harm‑monitoring systems are intertwined.

"I did not know the Cameo video would be used for a FanDuel VIP promotion, and I have no affiliation with FanDuel whatsoever," Bryce Harper wrote on Instagram in July.

Senator Richard Blumenthal and Representatives Paul Tonko and Valerie Foushee set an October 20 deadline for FanDuel to respond with the requested records.

What to watch next

Watch for FanDuel’s response by the 20 October deadline and whether the operator supplies the account-level data requested. If the materials show a direct link between responsible-gambling indicators and VIP targeting, regulators and legislators may press for clearer firewalls between risk teams and marketing functions. Industry vendors should prepare for increased demands for auditable data provenance and stricter access controls.

Relevant coverage for product and compliance teams is available in our regulation and b2b sections as this story develops.