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Australian Regulator Warns Ex-AFL Players Over Illegal Gambling Ads
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The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has issued formal warnings to former Australian Football League (AFL) players turned online influencers Mitch Robinson and Rhys Mathieson for publishing content promoting Vegastars, a prohibited online gambling service, the regulator announced on 22 October 2026.
ACMA investigations found the two men published the promotional content between March and April 2026. The videos displayed the service’s name, logo and website address and included footage of gameplay and commentary promoting the service. Robinson published promotional content on Instagram and through the Rip Through It podcast on YouTube, while Mathieson published on Instagram. Australian online gambling rules prohibit the promotion of illegal gambling services.
ACMA member Carolyn Lidgerwood said the authority has increased its monitoring of illegal gambling promotion online and described the warnings as part of its recent enforcement activity against individual social media influencers.
“All influencers are now firmly on notice. Anyone who uses their online profile to promote illegal gambling services will face regulatory action which can include significant financial penalties,” Lidgerwood said.
Lidgerwood said the men accepted responsibility after the ACMA contacted them about the conduct, promptly ended their involvement with Vegastars and removed all promotional material. Each was issued a formal warning to ensure his future compliance with the law. The ACMA also published the investigation reports and formal warnings for both men.
Robinson Investigation
The ACMA commenced its investigation into Robinson on 23 April 2026, following a media enquiry about promotional content for the offshore gambling service. Robinson co-hosts the AFL-focused Rip Through It podcast, which is available on YouTube and other streaming platforms including Apple Podcasts and SoundCloud.
According to the final investigation report into Robinson, he entered into two agreements connected with the promotion of Vegastars on or about 3 March 2026: an Exclusive Ambassador Agreement under which he agreed to provide onsite, social media, YouTube and streaming content in exchange for payments of $30,000 per month, and a Podcast Promotion Agreement covering the Rip Through It podcast for $10,000 per month. The ACMA issued a statutory notice to produce to Robinson on 12 May 2026 and received his response on 16 June 2026. According to the response, he was paid $120,000 before receiving the notice, at which point he ceased all involvement with Vegastars and removed content carrying its logo; documents produced with the response indicated the amount was received in three instalments of $40,000 in connection with the promotion.
The report found Robinson contravened subsection 61EA(1A) of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, which prohibits publishing a designated interactive gambling service advertisement in Australia unless the publication is permitted, on two occasions: by publishing the Rip Through It YouTube video on 10 March 2026 and by publishing an Instagram video on the @mitchrobinson account on 6 April 2026. The content displayed the Vegastars name, logo and website address and showed gameplay on the service, including voice-over accompanying footage showing Robinson and another person apparently winning approximately $800 while using Vegastars. The content also appeared to show him gambling at a Brisbane hotel during an AFL match and giving away the purported winnings to patrons as free drinks.
The ACMA made preliminary findings on 4 August 2026. Robinson responded on 31 August 2026, stating he had not been aware Vegastars was a prohibited interactive gambling service and expressing remorse. After the ACMA wrote to him on 7 September 2026 about the YouTube video, he said he had not initially known the content remained available and took immediate steps to confirm its removal. The report was finalised on 30 September 2026, and the ACMA’s delegate issued the formal warning on 8 October 2026.
Mathieson Investigation
The investigation into Mathieson found three contraventions of the same provision: one Instagram video published on the @rhys.mathieson account on 20 March 2026 and two published on 6 April 2026. According to the final investigation report into Mathieson, the videos included voice-over and commentary accompanying footage showing Mathieson and another person apparently winning approximately $29,000 while using the Vegastars service.
Mathieson entered into a verbal agreement with Essential Talent on or about 3 March 2026 under which he agreed to provide social media content in exchange for payment, according to his response to a statutory notice to produce issued on 24 June 2026. The ACMA received the response on 15 July 2026, and according to the response he ceased his involvement with Vegastars following the notice. Records provided by Mathieson indicated that BWG Services Ltd made three payments totalling $19,200 connected with the promotional activities.
The ACMA made preliminary findings on 11 September 2026. Mathieson responded on 24 September 2026, stating he had not been aware Vegastars was a prohibited interactive gambling service and expressing remorse. His report was finalised on 1 October 2026.
Prior Enforcement and Penalties
Both reports state that subsection 61EA(1A) does not require proof that a person publishing a designated interactive gambling service advertisement knew the advertised service was prohibited, so the men’s submissions that they were unaware Vegastars was prohibited did not affect the findings. In each investigation, the ACMA found the content was published in Australia: a staff member physically present in Australia accessed the videos using an Australian IP address, and the reports note each man’s audience is predominantly Australian.
The reports identify Neptune Projects SRL as the provider of Vegastars. The Vegastars website states the service is owned and operated by Neptune Projects SRL under an Internet Gaming Licence issued by the Tobique Gaming Commission, and Costa Rica business registry information indicates the company is incorporated there as a limited liability company, according to the reports.
The ACMA previously found that Vegastars was being provided to customers in Australia as a prohibited interactive gambling service in contravention of the Act, and it issued Neptune Projects SRL a formal warning on 20 January 2026. It requested that Australian internet service providers block the primary and alternate Vegastars websites in February 2026. The reports state the service continues to be provided into the Australian market and that the ACMA has since requested blocks on additional alternative sites for the service.
Individuals who promote or publicise illegal gambling services can face civil penalties of up to $65,520 per contravention, the ACMA said. Those who facilitate access to the services, including by providing hyperlinks or directing users to them, may face penalties of up to $2,730,000.
From 1 January 2027, new wagering advertising laws will prohibit licensed wagering providers from using current or former athletes, social media influencers and other notable people to promote wagering services.
