AFL Directs Sportsbet to Remove AI-Generated Videos Using Player Likenesses
The AFL directed the gambling operator Sportsbet to take down the content and cease producing any similar content without the approval of the athletes after Sportsbet used artificial intelligence to create social media videos featuring professional players without their permission. The AFLPA said the videos violated the 2023-2027 collective bargaining agreement which does not specifically address content produced by AI. Australia is set to introduce restrictions on advertising for gambling from 1 January 2027.
SCCG Take — Operators face immediate partnership friction where AI content outruns explicit consent terms. Sporting bodies will now prioritise AI clauses in future agreements to limit revenue exposure ahead of the 2027 advertising curbs.
The Australian Football League directed betting partner Sportsbet to remove artificial intelligence-generated social media videos featuring league players and to secure athlete approval before any similar future production.
The content placed AFL personalities in fictional scenarios drawn from pop culture and real events. One clip showed former Brisbane Lions midfielder Lachie Neale delivering an acceptance speech modeled on Snoop Dogg’s 2018 Hollywood Walk of Fame address as if announcing a move to Collingwood. Another featured Brisbane Lions player Will Ashcroft quoting the series Ozark to reference Fremantle tactics in the 2026 AFL Grand Final. Additional videos used imagery of Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell, former North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson and Supercars driver Anton De Pasquale.
Gaps in the 2023-2027 Collective Bargaining Agreement
The AFL Players Association had already raised objections with the league. The union determined the videos violated the 2023-2027 collective bargaining agreement, which permits certain uses of player footage without individual consent yet contains no provisions on AI-generated material. The AFL stated it will collaborate with commercial partners to develop suitable practices as the technology evolves. Sportsbet said it would factor in partner and community feedback while reviewing its AI content approach.
Advertising Ban Adds Commercial Pressure
The incident arrives ahead of Australia’s prohibition on gambling operators using celebrities and sports stars in advertisements, effective 1 January 2027. Independent senator David Pocock highlighted the case as evidence of the need for stronger safeguards against AI-generated impersonations in gambling marketing. The AFL could lose $80 million annually under a full gambling advertising ban.
According to Gambling News, the episode exposes how current agreements leave AI applications unaddressed. This produces swift enforcement from leagues when operators deploy synthetic media without explicit consent. The second-order consequence is accelerated pressure on both parties to revise image-rights clauses before the 2027 restrictions reduce available commercial channels. What to watch is whether the AFLPA secures AI-specific language in the next bargaining cycle.
Reporting: GamblingNews
Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.
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