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PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia Phillies slugger Bryce Harper said he did not know a Cameo video he recorded would be used by FanDuel as a reward for a VIP customer who later sued the sportsbook, saying it took advantage of his gambling addiction.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported last week that a fan named Terry Thompson had wagered $18.5 million with FanDuel and was eventually rewarded with a personalized video from Harper.
In the video, Harper addressed the fan by name and even mentioned the man's young son. Harper shared a screenshot Monday of the request on Cameo, an app that allows users to pay celebrities to record custom videos.
"Had I known FanDuel's true intent, I would not have made the video," Harper said. "The same is true had I known anything about Terry or his situation."
The Inquirer reported Thompson lost $1.5 million, according to a lawsuit that the Public Health Advocacy Institute filed in March in Common Pleas Court in Philadelphia on behalf of Thompson and against FanDuel and DraftKings. Thompson also was reported to have lost money to DraftKings.
The video was marked with FanDuel's logo. Harper said in the video he reached out at the request of Thomson's VIP manager on the site, "your host Bryttanni at FanDuel."
Harper addressed the situation on a social media post Monday, hours ahead of his scheduled participation in the Home Run Derby.
"I did not know FanDuel would do this," Harper wrote. "I did not consent to it, and FanDuel had no right to do it."
Asked for comment, FanDuel said it was "committed to fostering a culture of responsible gaming and protecting our customers.
"Unlike illegal offshore sportsbooks, FanDuel employees are trained to recognize and flag signs of problem gambling and offer resources and tools, and we continue to review and strengthen our policies to ensure we have the industry's strongest consumer protection initiatives."
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