Lawmakers Push MLB and Players Union to Tighten Rules on Sportsbook Promotions

Three members of Congress are calling on MLB and its players' association to overhaul the rules that allowed a personalized video of Phillies star Bryce Harper to reach a bettor who says he struggled with a gambling addiction.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Reps. Paul Tonko and Valerie Foushee sent a letter to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and MLBPA interim executive director Bruce Meyer demanding an end to the policies that enabled the promotion.

The video traces back to November 2024, when FanDuel arranged for Harper to record a personalized greeting through Cameo for a customer identified as Terry Thompson. Thompson later sued the sportsbook, along with other operators, alleging he lost roughly $1.6 million while wagering an estimated $18.5 million over a four-year stretch and that the companies exploited his addiction.

Harper has said publicly that he did not know how the clip would be used and would not have recorded it had he understood FanDuel's intentions.

Under the current collective bargaining agreement, MLB players may sign endorsement deals with the best sports betting sites, provided they do not use their name, image, or likeness to directly encourage betting on baseball games. The lawmakers argue that the rule left room for exactly this kind of targeted promotion aimed at a vulnerable customer.

Their letter poses several questions to MLB and the union, including how they plan to protect fans from similar promotions going forward, and requests written responses by August 24. The inquiry lands as the league and union negotiate their next labor agreement, with the union reportedly seeking more freedom for players to pursue sportsbook partnerships.

Players remain split on whether MLB has done enough since Clase scandal

The scrutiny over MLB's betting relationships comes as the league still works through fallout from a separate case involving its own players.

The Athletic surveyed 100 players across 23 teams between February and May, asking whether they believe MLB is doing enough to keep players from teaming up with gamblers. About 55% said yes, while the remaining 45% either disagreed or had no opinion.

That split comes roughly a year after Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase and pitcher Luis Ortiz were accused of manipulating pitches to benefit bettors placing prop wagers. 

Many players who said MLB has handled the issue well pointed to the league's annual spring training presentations on Rule 21 and its clear posting in every clubhouse, comparing gambling violations to performance-enhancing drug use as matters of personal choice. 

Others were more critical, arguing the league undercuts its own anti-gambling message by maintaining partnerships with sportsbooks.

Several players cited the visible presence of sportsbook advertising throughout stadiums as being at odds with the warnings they receive about betting. The Clase and Ortiz case remains an active point of reference for players weighing how seriously the league takes gambling-related integrity issues.