ACMA Warns Two Ex-AFL Players Over Illegal Gambling Ads
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has issued formal warnings to former AFL players Mitch Robinson and Rhys Mathieson for promoting an illegal online gambling service on social media. The regulator announced the action on October 22, 2026.
It follows other recent enforcement, such as when ACMA penalised the Skins online gambling site, and it targets individuals rather than operators.
Both men are now online influencers. According to Inside Asian Gaming's report on the ACMA announcement, they published content promoting the prohibited service Vegastars between March and April 2026.
What The Regulator Found
The promotional posts showed the Vegastars name, logo and website address, alongside gameplay footage and commentary promoting the service.
Robinson, who played 247 AFL games for Carlton and the Brisbane Lions, published his content on Instagram and through the Rip Through It podcast on YouTube. Mathieson, who played 72 games for the Lions, published on Instagram.
Promoting an illegal gambling service is prohibited under Australian online gambling rules. ACMA had already acted against Vegastars itself, asking Australian internet service providers to block the website in January 2026.
Warnings Rather Than Fines
ACMA member Carolyn Lidgerwood said both men accepted responsibility once the regulator contacted them. They ended their involvement with Vegastars promptly and removed all promotional material, and ACMA then issued each a formal warning to secure their future compliance. No financial penalty was imposed.
The regulator did not soften its wider message. Lidgerwood said illegal gambling services can cause significant financial harm to individuals and families, and that all influencers are now on notice. Anyone using an online profile to promote illegal gambling services faces regulatory action, which can include significant financial penalties, she said.
Under the law, an individual who promotes or publicises an illegal gambling service can face civil penalties of up to A$65,520 per contravention. Anyone who facilitates access, for example by providing hyperlinks or directing people to a service, can face penalties of up to A$2.73 million.
A Continuing Crackdown On Influencers
ACMA said it has stepped up its monitoring of illegal gambling promotion online and described the warnings as a continuation of recent action against individual social media influencers. The regulator's running tally of blocked illegal gambling and affiliate sites reached 1,822 in September, according to The Straight, and more than 230 illegal services have left the Australian market since 2017.
The warnings arrived only days after ACMA published guidance on new wagering advertising laws. From January 1, 2027, licensed wagering providers will be barred from using current or former athletes, social media influencers and other notable people to promote wagering services including betting sites. That rule is separate from the ban on promoting illegal services, but together they narrow the room for sports figures turned content creators.
For influencers and the brands that work with them, the message from this case is that the prohibition on promoting illegal operators already applies today, and that a swift clean-up after a regulator makes contact can be the difference between a warning and a penalty.
