Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D‑Conn., and Reps. Paul Tonko (N.

Y.) and Valerie Foushee (N. C.) wrote to MLB and the MLB Players Association, urging an end to promotional deals with betting operators. They highlighted a November 2024 FanDuel Cameo video of Phillies star Bryce Harper sent to a VIP gambler, which the bettor later sued for exploiting his gambling addiction.\n\nThe letter demands MLB and the union stop using personalized player content to drive vulnerable fans into debt and addiction, noting that the current collective bargaining agreement forbids authorizing use of a player’s name, number, image or likeness to promote betting, though the union is considering removing those limits during upcoming CBA negotiations.\n\nCongress set a Aug. 24 deadline and posed five questions for the league and union, emphasizing that allowing player‑specific promotions with sportsbooks creates a predatory environment as gambling addiction concerns rise, and urging the parties to confront the issue directly amid ongoing collective bargaining talks.\n\nMLB and the union declined to comment when contacted by ESPN.

The episode reflects growing scrutiny of sports betting integrations and highlights the need for clearer policies to protect fans from predatory promotions.