New Jersey lawmakers have approved a resolution urging restrictions on gambling advertisements aimed at people displaying symptoms of problem gambling or addiction.
The Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee approved AR 150 unanimously on Monday, in response to the recent scandal involving FanDuel’s sending a customer a personalized video featuring Philadelphia Phillies player Bryce Harper.
The Philadelphia Inquirer first reported the video on July 9. The newspaper reported that a man who said he lost around $1.5 million on FanDuel wagers due to his gambling addiction claimed the company sent him a personalized video message from Harper.
In the video, Harper names the man, acknowledges his son, and thanks him for his support. Harper claims FanDuel added its own logo to the video and used it on a gambling promotion without his knowledge or consent. Harper also claimed he didn’t know the video would be used for FanDuel’s VIP promotion and denied have any affiliation with FanDuel. He said he joined the video-sharing website Cameo to engage with fans.
Harper explained that in November 2024, someone identified as “Bryttanni” submitted an order through Cameo asking him to record a personal “holiday video for Terry.” The man was identified as Terry Thompson.
“It was explicitly made clear that this video was prepared to further entice gambling by this individual,” said William Moen, chair of the committee and author of AR 150.
Moen, a Democrat, said these sites pose risks and access to these sites that allow someone to request personalized messages from athletes or celebrities is always at out fingertips.
“This resolution simply urges the prohibition of this kind of advertising to prevent this type of situation from occurring in the future,” Moen said. “This is something that we see as a problem.”
The seven-member committee also unanimously approved a measure that requires those on self-exclusion lists to watch educational and counseling videos prior to removal from the lists.
The New Jersey Racing Commission and Division of Gaming Enforcement would be required to issue regulations governing how the program would work.
A5210, which is sponsored by Moen, also permits third-party requests for individuals to be excluded from gambling under certain circumstances, including providing proof that the third-party’s sole or joint financial responsibility for funds may be used or deposited for gambling purposes.
The Sports Betting Alliance opposed the bill, but did not testify on Monday.
