FanDuel has responded to criticism stemming from a promotional video sent to a VIP player experiencing gambling harm. In a letter to three US Members of Congress, the operator emphasized that its responsible gambling rules apply equally to all players and that VIP program members are further scrutinized before being admitted into the program.
FanDuel VIP Gift Allegedly Incentivized Problem Player to Gamble
The response comes after Senator Richard Blumenthal, Representative Paul Tonko and Representative Valerie Foushee sought answers from the MLB due to a controversial FanDuel promo video featuring pro baseball pro Bryce Harper. The video in question was sent to Terry Thompson, a VIP FanDuel user, who is suing FanDuel and other sportsbooks over predatory behavior.
In this custom video, Harper specifically mentioned Thompson, saying that it was a gift from Thompson’s host. Harper later commented on the matter and admitted that he didn’t know that the recipient was a problem gambler.
For reference, Thompson was a high-roller who bet some $18.5 million on FanDuel. His loyalty was rewarded with various gifts, sports tickets, and other incentives, such as the video message in question.
The oversight prompted the aforementioned Congress members to seek answers from the MLB. At the same time, FanDuel and DraftKings are facing customer protection lawsuits for allegedly enabling addiction.
FanDuel Highlights Its Responsible Gambling Commitment
Responding to the controversy, FanDuel emphasized that it subjects both regular and VIP players to the same responsible gaming treatment, in accordance with the local frameworks in the 26 states where it operates.
FanDuel elaborated that players are carefully probed before being admitted into the VIP program. It also stated that its VIP hosts are being extensively trained to recognize problem gambling patterns and that their paycheck is not dependent on whether their clients win or lose.
FanDuel maintained that it is firmly committed to offering gambling responsibly and said that it has streamlined escalation channels in order to better identify potential harm among its VIP program members. The company insisted that its policy is to proactively respond when the first signs of harm are identified. To top it all off, customers who explicitly tell the operator that they are experiencing a gambling problem or addiction are “immediately and permanently excluded from every FanDuel product.”
According to FanDuel, its parent company’s responsible gaming expenses amount to $158 million a year. In addition to that, FanDuel noted that it is a founding member of the Responsible Online Gaming Association.
FanDuel concluded that it shares the Congress’ goal of protecting players from harm and said that it remained committed to “continuously strengthening” its responsible gaming and player protection efforts.