Sen. Richard Blumenthal is demanding answers from the sports betting app FanDuel, which he claims targets “problem gamblers” with personalized celebrity videos.
The company recently sent one such message, featuring Phillies star Bryce Harper, to a man who had just lost more than $1 million in wagers. The company called it a “thank you,” but Blumenthal is not buying it.
“That’s a funny way of saying thank you,” Blumenthal said. “And this personalized message from Bryce Harper, the Phillies’ first baseman, was apparently designed to entice that gambler to spend more.”
Blumenthal is now demanding FanDuel hand over copies of every personalized video the company has created, along with details about who they were sent to.
Harper has denied knowing the recipient of his video was a problem gambler.