ACMA warns former AFL players for promoting illegal offshore casino

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) issued formal warnings to two former AFL players, Mitch Robinson and Rhys Mathieson, for promoting an offshore online casino illegal under Australian law.

The warnings were issued on Thursday after investigations revealed that Robinson and Mathieson advertised Vegastars, an online gambling platform previously classified by the regulator as a prohibited interactive gambling service.

Promotional activity and payments

The promotions were posted between March and April 2026 in the form of videos featuring Vegastars branding, website information, gameplay footage and endorsements.

Robinson was cited in an ACMA final report dated 30 September 2026, with the regulator determining he published prohibited gambling advertisements on two occasions – a YouTube podcast episode on 10 March 2026 and an Instagram video on 6 April 2026. Robinson entered into two commercial agreements with the Vegastars operators in March 2026 and received approximately AU$120,000 ($84,132) in payments. After receiving an ACMA notice in May, Robinson’s promotional content was subsequently removed.

Mathieson was addressed in a final ACMA report dated 1 October 2026, with the authority finding that he shared three infringing Instagram videos – one on 20 March and two on 6 April 2026. Documentary evidence indicated Mathieson earned around AU$19,200 from these promotions.

Regulatory response

While Mathieson expressed remorse and claimed unawareness of Vegastars’ prohibited status, ACMA reiterated that ignorance of the law does not exempt individuals from infringement under the Interactive Gambling Act (IGA).

The formal warnings were issued pursuant to Section 64A of the IGA. ACMA highlighted that individuals promoting prohibited gambling services face potential civil penalties of up to AU$65,520 per violation, while entities facilitating access may incur penalties of up to AU$2.73 million.

Carolyn Lidgerwood, ACMA board member, stated that they had increased their monitoring of illegal gambling promotion online and that “influencers need to be aware that promoting these services is against the law”.

Vegastars’ operator, Neptune Projects SRL, received a formal warning from ACMA in January 2026, when the regulator requested Australian internet service providers block the main and alternate Vegastars websites. Despite this, ACMA reports that the service continues offering access to Australian users via multiple mirror sites, prompting the regulator to seek further ISP blocks.

From 1 January 2027, new wagering advertising restrictions will prohibit licensed wagering providers from employing current or former athletes, social media influencers and notable personalities to promote their services.