New Jersey lawmakers have moved forward with a resolution calling for limits on gambling advertising directed at individuals who display signs associated with problem gambling or addiction. The Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee unanimously approved AR 150 on Monday, following controversy over a personalized video involving Philadelphia Phillies player Bryce Harper and a FanDuel customer.
The incident involved Terry Thompson, a man who said he lost approximately $1.5 million through FanDuel wagers because of his gambling addiction. A report published July 9 stated that Thompson received a personalized video from Harper. The video included Thompson’s name, mentioned his son and thanked him for his support.
Harper said FanDuel later placed its logo on the recording and incorporated it into a gambling promotion without his knowledge or consent. He also said he had no affiliation with FanDuel and had been unaware that the recording would become part of a VIP promotion. Harper explained that he used Cameo as a way to interact with fans.
Cameo Video Prompts Legislative Response
According to Harper’s account, a person identified as “Bryttanni” placed a Cameo request in November 2024 seeking a personal “holiday video for Terry.” The request ultimately resulted in the recording sent to Thompson.
William Moen, who chairs the Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee and authored AR 150, linked the episode to broader concerns surrounding customized promotional material involving people experiencing gambling-related problems.
“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, also raised concerns about the ease with which people can use online services to request personalized recordings from athletes and celebrities. The resolution seeks restrictions intended to stop similar forms of advertising from reaching people whose gambling activity shows signs of addiction or problem gambling.
“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 approved AR 150 unanimously.
Committee Advances Self-Exclusion Requirements
During the same meeting, lawmakers unanimously approved a separate measure dealing with New Jersey’s gambling self-exclusion system. The proposal would require people on self-exclusion lists to view educational and counseling videos before they can have their names removed.
Under the measure, the New Jersey Racing Commission and the Division of Gaming Enforcement would establish regulations governing the program and determine how the requirement would operate.
The legislation, A5210, is also sponsored by Moen. It would allow third parties to request the exclusion of another individual from gambling in certain situations. One circumstance involves evidence that a third party has sole or shared financial responsibility for money that could be deposited or otherwise used for gambling purposes.
The provision would add another route into the exclusion system beyond an individual choosing to place themselves on a list. The educational and counseling requirement would apply at the point when an excluded person seeks removal from that list.
Industry Group Opposes A5210
The Sports Betting Alliance opposed A5210, although the organization did not provide testimony during Monday’s committee proceedings. The committee nevertheless approved the measure unanimously alongside the resolution addressing targeted gambling advertisements.
The two actions place separate gambling-related issues before New Jersey lawmakers. AR 150 focuses specifically on promotional practices involving people who show signs of problem gambling or addiction, while A5210 addresses the procedures surrounding exclusion from gambling and subsequent removal from exclusion lists.
The advertising resolution emerged directly from the controversy surrounding the Harper recording and its reported use in a VIP gambling promotion. Moen cited the episode while arguing for restrictions that could prevent comparable personalized advertising from being directed toward vulnerable gamblers in the future.
Source:
New Jersey: Lawmakers urge restriction on targeted gambling ads, cdcgaming.com, September 14, 2026.
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