FanDuel Rejects Allegations Over VIP Cameos in Letter to Congress
Company says personalized Cameo videos were customer appreciation gestures under state rules.
Key Takeaways
- FanDuel sent a letter on 20 October 2026 defending its VIP programme and Cameo recordings to Senator Richard Blumenthal and Representatives Valerie Foushee and Paul Tonko.
- The sportsbook reviewed approximately thirty Cameo videos and described them as customer appreciation gestures rather than inducements.
- Cory Fox, FanDuel's Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Sustainability, compared the VIP scheme to customer-loyalty programmes and emphasised responsible-gaming rules.
- FanDuel said it intervenes when addiction is suspected by closing accounts, suspending wagering access, or directing players to tools such as GameSense.
FanDuel told three members of Congress on 20 October 2026 that its VIP loyalty scheme and the use of celebrity Cameo videos were customer appreciation gestures, not commissioned inducements to continue gambling. The correspondence, the sportsbook's third response to the inquiry, answered questions from Senator Richard Blumenthal and Representatives Valerie Foushee and Paul Tonko that began after media reports in July. FanDuel said it reviewed approximately thirty Cameo recordings and defended the program's structure and responsible-gaming safeguards.
What FanDuel told lawmakers
FanDuel Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Sustainability Cory Fox signed the October 20 letter defending the VIP programme. Fox wrote that the scheme is "like customer-loyalty programs in many industries" and "is intended to provide enhanced service and encourage customers who choose to wager to use FanDuel rather than another platform." He added that personalised gestures such as Cameo videos are subject to the same problem-gambling and responsible-gaming guidelines that govern other marketing and advertising campaigns.
"Like customer-loyalty programs in many industries, the VIP program is intended to provide enhanced service and encourage customers who choose to wager to use FanDuel rather than another platform," Cory Fox wrote.
FanDuel said its primary objective is maintaining a healthy customer base that wagers at appropriate levels rather than maximising individual activity. The company compared VIP perks to frequent-flyer benefits in aviation and reward programmes in hospitality, and said such perks operate under state regulatory oversight.
The congressional inquiry and the trigger event
The congressional exchange began in July after reports that FanDuel had commissioned a Cameo video featuring Philadelphia Phillies player Bryce Harper directly addressing a VIP customer, wishing him a happy Thanksgiving and mentioning the customer's son by name. The customer subsequently sued multiple sportsbooks, alleging VIP hosts encourage destructive betting behaviour. In an October 6 letter, the lawmakers asked for full disclosure of VIP videos and warned that VIP perks could exploit vulnerable bettors.
Responsible gaming measures cited by FanDuel
FanDuel told Congress it applies the same rigorous responsible-gaming protocols to personalised contacts and marketing materials that it applies elsewhere. The company said it intervenes if it suspects developing addiction, citing actions that include closing accounts, suspending wagering access, or directing customers to tools such as GameSense. The letter reiterated that state regulators set the standards that govern marketing and loyalty activity.
Wider legislative context
Senator Richard Blumenthal and Representative Paul Tonko are co-sponsors of the SAFE Bet Act, federal legislation that would create national oversight, ban certain sports-broadcast advertising and impose affordability checks. The exchange over VIP practices forms part of a broader congressional debate about potential federal roles in sports betting regulation following the 2018 Supreme Court decision that left sports wagering as a states' rights matter.
FanDuel's October 20 letter represents the company's latest formal response in an ongoing dialogue with federal lawmakers.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did FanDuel respond to Congress about its VIP programme?
FanDuel responded on 20 October 2026 with its third letter in the congressional exchange. The October 20 letter followed an October 6 request from the lawmakers and an inquiry that began in July.
How many Cameo videos did FanDuel review?
FanDuel reviewed approximately thirty Cameo videos. The company told Congress it views those recordings as customer appreciation gestures rather than tools commissioned to induce continued gambling.
What did FanDuel say it does when it suspects addiction?
FanDuel said it intervenes by closing accounts, suspending wagering access, or directing players to tools such as GameSense. The company presented these actions in its October 20 letter to demonstrate its responsible-gaming safeguards.
How did Cory Fox describe the VIP programme in the letter?
Cory Fox described the VIP programme as analogous to customer-loyalty programmes in other industries and intended to provide enhanced service and encourage customers to use FanDuel rather than another platform. He wrote that personalised gestures remain subject to the same problem-gambling and advertising guidelines as other marketing.
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About the author
Eleanor Whitfield
Regulatory Affairs Correspondent
Eleanor Whitfield tracks gambling legislation, licensing decisions, and regulator enforcement across key markets — from the UKGC, MGA, and Germany's GGL to Spain's DGOJ and the state-by-state map in the Americas. The reporting answers three questions precisely: what changed, where, and who it affects, with jurisdictions, effective dates, and penalty figures named exactly as published. Compliance officers and operators read Eleanor Whitfield to know which rulebook moved before their next board meeting.
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