Three congressmen have commanded MLB and its Players Association (MLBPA) to outlaw promotional partnerships with betting companies after Bryce Harper unknowingly recorded a video sent to a gambling addict.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY) and Rep. Valeria Foushee (D-NC) wrote the letter sent to the league and the MLBPA.
Key Takeaways
- Harper claimed that he never would have recorded the video had he known the reason it was requested.
- The MLB’s Collective Bargaining Agreement will expire after Dec.1.
- Lawmakers want to know MLB and MLBPA’s attitudes toward various betting partnership questions before the new CBA is signed.
It was reported in July that Harper, a nine-time All-Star and two-time MVP, recorded a Cameo video that FanDuel sent to an individual suffering from a gambling addiction. The bettor later filed a lawsuit against the sportsbook, claiming that it preyed on his diagnosable condition.
Harper released a statement that said he did not know and did not consent to the video being used to promote FanDuel’s betting platform, per NBC Philadelphia.
“We write to demand an end to the MLB and MLBPA policies that enabled this type of predatory promotion,” the congressmen wrote in their letter.
The letter went on to detail the lawmakers’ concerns that MLB rules allowed players to share personalized content that would “drive vulnerable fans into debt and addiction.”
MLB signed its first betting partnership with MGM Resorts International on Nov. 27, 2018. It maintains deals with BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, FanDuel, and Hard Rock Bet, and also has a prediction market deal with Polymarket.
“This is a failure that Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association must confront directly, especially as both are in the midst of renegotiating their collective bargaining agreement (CBA),” the letter stated.
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New CBA holds the answers
MLB’s CBA is set to expire at 11:59 p.m. ET on Dec. 1, 2026. While key issues include the salary cap, revenue splits, and free agency eligibility, there is also a debate over the rights given to players for promotional purposes.
The current structure allows players to secure promotional opportunities with betting companies, so long as the promotions don’t use their name, uniform number, image or likeness. Discussions are still ongoing, but the MLBPA is hoping to remove these restrictions from the next CBA, according to sources familiar with the discussions cited by ESPN.
Lawmakers Blumenthal, Tonko and Foushee are hoping to gain a better understanding of MLB and MLBPA’s position on sportsbook endorsement deals, along with the answer to four other questions that were included in their letter.
- As MLB and MLBPA renegotiate their collective bargaining agreement, what is your current position on allowing MLB players to seek endorsements and partnerships from sportsbooks? Note: The MLBPA has publicly announced their intention to seek greater freedom for players to have relationships with gambling companies.
- How will MLB and the MLBPA guarantee that fan safety and well-being take precedence over revenue from gambling partnerships?
- Do you believe MLB and MLBPA policies on sportsbook endorsements and partnerships are adequate to prevent engagement with predatory VIP programs?
- Will the MLB and MLBPA undertake any player education to ensure that players understand the risks their participation in sportsbook promotions poses to fans?
- Will the MLB and MLBPA prohibit players from participating in personalized marketing campaigns by sportsbooks as part of VIP or tier programs?
The letter asked for a response no later than Aug. 24.
Harper denies knowledge of video’s purpose
Harper claimed that the video used by FanDuel was requested on the video-sharing website Cameo. He claimed that a user named “Bryttanni” asked for a "holiday video for Terry” in November 2024, and that FanDuel later added its logo and used it in a gambling promotion without his knowledge or approval.
“Had I known FanDuel’s true intent, I would not have made the video,” Harper wrote in a statement released on his Instagram on July 13.
“The same is true had I known anything about Terry or his situation, or about any alleged ‘partnership’ between Cameo and FanDuel.”
