Three US legislators in Washington are urging Major League Baseball and the players’ union to revise sportsbook marketing regulations. The request follows public concern over a customized promotional video featuring Bryce Harper that was delivered to a FanDuel VIP account holder with a diagnosed gambling addiction.
Proposed Marketing Restrictions
The lawmakers, including Senator Richard Blumenthal and Representative Paul Tonko, are calling for a restriction on personalized advertising directed at high-tier betting customers. They argue that current promotion frameworks require stricter oversight to protect vulnerable players from targeted marketing campaigns. Congressional representatives have formally requested that MLB and the players’ association implement updated guidelines for sportsbook partnerships, which would limit how betting operators use player imagery in VIP outreach programs.The regulatory push stems from recent scrutiny of FanDuel’s promotional practices. The platform distributed a tailor-made clip starring Harper to a premium user, which prompted questions about responsible gambling safeguards in personalized advertising. The legislative inquiry was first reported by Gambling Insider.