Bryce Harper did not breach the MLB collective bargaining agreement through a Cameo video later sent to FanDuel VIP customer Terry Thompson. MLB still plans to review how the November 2024 recording became part of a sportsbook promotion.
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FanDuel and MLB have promoted responsible gambling through their partnership. The Harper dispute now centers on sportsbook VIP treatment rather than player encouragement to bet.
“I’m not really certain that I know all of the underlying facts well enough to evaluate the behavior,” Rob Manfred said. “The important thing is Bryce’s activity was not a violation of the basic agreement. We made sure about that. We’ll continue to try to figure out exactly how we ended up where we ended up on that.”
Thompson has sued FanDuel, DraftKings and other parties. He alleges operators used data, microbets, gifts and personal contact to encourage larger wagers. FanDuel allegedly gave him Super Bowl tickets and the Harper Thanksgiving video.
A FanDuel host named Bryttanni ordered the clip through a regular Cameo account. Harper read a supplied script that mentioned FanDuel, but he did not encourage Thompson to gamble.
“I did not consent to it, and FanDuel had no right to do it,” Harper said.
MLB allows players to promote legal sportsbooks and casinos, but players cannot encourage betting on a game. Penalties can include fines, suspension or permanent ineligibility.
“I did not know the Cameo video would be used for a FanDuel VIP promotion, and I have no affiliation with FanDuel whatsoever,” Harper said.