Former AFL players receive formal warnings over illegal gambling promotion in Australia

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has formally warned two former Australian Football League players, Mitch Robinson and Rhys Mathieson, over posts promoting Vegastars, an offshore online casino the regulator says is prohibited under Australian law. For PSPs and operators in high-risk verticals, the point is simple: influencer traffic does not sit outside gambling enforcement just because it arrives through Instagram or a podcast clip.

1. The ACMA issued the warnings on Thursday after finding that Robinson and Mathieson advertised Vegastars using videos that included branding, website information, gameplay footage and endorsements. The posts were published between March and April 2026.
2. According to an ACMA final report dated 30 September 2026, Robinson published prohibited gambling advertisements twice: in a YouTube podcast episode on 10 March 2026 and in an Instagram video on 6 April 2026. The regulator said he entered into two commercial agreements with Vegastars operators in March 2026 and received approximately AU$120,000 ($84,132) in payments. After an ACMA notice in May, the content was removed.
3. Rhys Mathieson was covered in a separate final ACMA report dated 1 October 2026. The authority found he shared three infringing Instagram videos: one on 20 March and two on 6 April 2026. Documentary evidence showed he earned around AU$19,200 from the promotions.
4. The ACMA said the warnings were issued under Section 64A of the Interactive Gambling Act (IGA). It also reiterated that ignorance of Vegastars’ prohibited status does not excuse an infringement under the law.
5. The penalty exposure is not small print. The ACMA said individuals promoting prohibited gambling services face civil penalties of up to AU$65,520 per violation, while entities facilitating access, including by linking or directing users, may face penalties of up to AU$2.73 million.

Vegastars’ operator, Neptune Projects SRL, has already been on the ACMA’s radar since January 2026, when the regulator issued a formal warning and asked Australian ISPs to block the main and alternate Vegastars websites. The ACMA says the service continues to offer access to Australian users via multiple mirror sites, and it is now seeking further ISP blocks.