ACMA Formal Warnings to Former AFL Players Reinforce Prohibition on Illegal Service Promotion
ACMA issued formal warnings to Mitch Robinson and Rhys Mathieson for promoting illegal Vegastars on Instagram and a podcast. The ex-AFL players accepted responsibility and removed content. Action rests on existing Interactive Gambling Act rules and precedes January 2027 notable-persons ad restrictions.
SCCG Take — Regulators are applying current prohibitions on illegal-service promotion to high-profile sports figures ahead of 2027 reforms. The distinction between the two regimes requires operators and influencers to map both compliance obligations precisely.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority has issued formal warnings to former AFL players Mitch Robinson and Rhys Mathieson for promoting the prohibited online gambling service Vegastars. The promotions appeared on Instagram and, in Robinson’s case, on the YouTube channel for his Rip Through It podcast between March and April 2026.
The content included the service’s name, logo, website address, gameplay and promotional commentary. Both men accepted responsibility, ended their involvement and removed the material. Carolyn Lidgerwood, an ACMA member, stated that all influencers are now firmly on notice. The action consists solely of formal warnings rather than fines, as reported by Casino News Daily.
Details from the ACMA Media Release
The regulator dated its release 22 October 2026. It followed an earlier January 2026 request for internet service providers to block Vegastars. The warnings target publicity for an illegal service rather than any licence application. ACMA has increased monitoring to secure compliance with existing rules.
This case follows a July warning issued to a mixed martial arts fighter for similar promotion of an illegal online gambling site. The regulator cited maximum civil penalties of AU$65,520 per contravention for an individual and AU$2,730,000 for facilitating access through hyperlinks or directions to the service. Those figures represent statutory ceilings, not penalties applied here.
Distinction from January 2027 Advertising Reforms
The Interactive Gambling Act separates licensed wagering from prohibited interactive gambling services. These warnings address promotion of the latter under current law. They do not constitute findings under separate restrictions that begin 1 January 2027 and prohibit licensed providers from using notable people, including former athletes, in gambling advertisements.
The sequence shows regulators applying existing enforcement tools while preparing broader reforms. Sports figures and online promoters now face explicit signals on both illegal-service publicity and forthcoming notable-persons limits. The distinction matters for compliance planning because the two regimes carry different triggers and timelines.
Reporting: Casino News Daily
Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.
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