LeBron James Representatives Demand Sports Betting App Cease Use of Likeness

Attorney Lawrence Shire issued a cease-and-desist letter to PlayVision Inc. regarding the unauthorized use of LeBron James' image in Bron AI app advertisements.

Attorney Lawrence Shire issued a cease-and-desist letter on behalf of Philadelphia 76ers star LeBron James to PlayVision Inc., demanding the company stop using the player's likeness by 5:30 p.m. Thursday. According to Front Office Sports, the legal action targets the sports betting app Bron AI, which features an advertisement showing a person wearing a No. 23 jersey with the name "Bron" on it. The app is designed to aggregate data from traditional sportsbooks and prediction markets to provide betting research.

James' media adviser, Adam Mendelsohn, stated that the athlete is not affiliated with the unauthorized use of his identity. The legal notice claims the company exploited James' name, nickname, and persona to imply an association with the platform. Shire noted in the letter that the advertisement suggests James is involved in basketball betting, which would constitute a serious violation of NBA regulations.

As of Thursday afternoon, the advertisement had been removed from the Bron AI Instagram account. James currently holds a marketing deal with the prediction market platform Polymarket and previously served as a brand ambassador for DraftKings beginning in January 2024. PlayVision Inc. has not issued a public response to the legal demands.