FanDuel is under scrutiny for its responsible gaming practices following concerns raised by three congressional Democrats regarding a personalized Thanksgiving message sent to a VIP sports bettor struggling with a gambling addiction by MLB superstar Bryce Harper. While FanDuel did not directly address the controversial video, it emphasized its industry-leading responsible gaming tools and technology.
A Philadelphia resident, who suffered significant financial losses from gambling on FanDuel, claimed in a court filing that he was attempting to quit when he received a personalized video message from Bryce Harper during Thanksgiving 2024. In the video, Harper expressed gratitude for the man’s support and wished him and his family a special holiday by name.
While FanDuel did not provide details on how a bettor with a gambling addiction was reached by its VIP team, the company reiterated its dedication to responsible gaming.
“At FanDuel, we prioritize accountability, transparency, and earning the trust of our customers and regulators,” stated Cory Fox, Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Sustainability at FanDuel, in a letter to Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Reps. Paul Tonko (NY) and Valerie Foushee (NC).
Fox highlighted Flutter Entertainment’s $158 million investment in responsible gaming in 2025 and emphasized FanDuel’s responsible gaming technology and tools available to all users, along with the company’s proactive approach to identifying and addressing risky behavior.
FanDuel VIP Program
FanDuel and other sportsbooks provide VIP hosts to high-volume bettors on their platforms. Through the FanDuel Players Club, users can earn FanDuel Points (FDPs) with each bet. Personal account managers are designated to customers who reach the Hall of Famer or VIP levels, starting at 125,000 FDPs. VIP status requires 600,000 points.
Account managers engage with bettors to encourage continued play. The congressional members expressed concerns about “false friendships” fostered by hosts and the perks provided to keep big-spending customers engrossed in the betting activity.
In response, Fox stated that VIP status includes additional oversight and access to responsible gaming resources.
“Managers proactively discuss tools such as MySpend, limit setting, timeouts, and self-exclusion, and every email they send includes responsible gaming language and direct access to FanDuel’s responsible gaming tools. Interactions between VIP customers and Account Managers also provide FanDuel with additional means to identify signs of problematic play that may not be readily apparent with customers that do not participate in the program,” Fox wrote.
“Together, these measures give VIP customers additional attention and access to responsible gaming resources without changing the standards that apply to their play,” added Fox.
FanDuel VIP Status
What does it take to qualify for a FanDuel host at the Hall of Famer tier?
Customers earn five FDPs for every $1 bet. To reach the 125,000-point Hall of Famer threshold, a customer must wager $25,000 monthly. Achieving VIP status with 600,000 points necessitates a $120,000 monthly bet.
While FDPs remain valid for a year, qualifying status points reset monthly. The customer’s status is determined by the previous month’s activity.
Hall of Famers and VIPs are eligible for $20,000 in monthly free play, but these bets do not earn FDPs.
“The FanDuel Players Club is our way of expressing gratitude to loyal fans,” as stated on the FanDuel website.