ACMA warns AFL players over promoting illegal gambling services

The Australian Communications and Media Authority has issued formal warnings to former Australian Football League players Mitch Robinson and Rhys Mathieson over the promotion of online gambling services the regulator describes as illegal. The regulator said it contacted both men about the conduct and that each has now received a formal warning.

According to ACMA member Carolyn Lidgerwood, Robinson and Mathieson accepted responsibility and ended their involvement with Vegastars and removed all promotional material after the regulator contacted them. The remarks concern websites that do not hold a licence to operate in Australia, where some activities, such as online casinos, are banned.

Lidgerwood said influencers must comply with current gaming laws and that promoting such services is against the law. She said the regulator is stepping up its efforts against such advertising arrangements, and that influencers who promote illegal gambling content face enforcement action, which she said is mostly fines at this point.

The source says gambling platforms usually offer celebrities and influencers significant payments for sharing social media messages and including referral links on their pages. New advertising rules for social media influencers and gambling take effect on 1 January 2027, according to the report.