ACMA warns two ex-AFL players over Vegastars casino posts

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has issued formal warnings to former Australian Football League (AFL) players Mitch Robinson and Rhys Mathieson for promoting Vegastars, an online casino that is illegal to offer in Australia. The ACMA announced the warnings in a media release dated 22 October 2026. Both men now work as social media influencers.

According to the ACMA, the promotional content went up between March and April 2026. The videos showed Vegastars' name, logo and website address, together with gameplay footage and commentary promoting the service. Robinson posted on Instagram and on the YouTube channel of his Rip Through It podcast. Mathieson posted on Instagram. According to Inside Asian Gaming, Robinson played 247 AFL games for Carlton and the Brisbane Lions, and Mathieson played 72 for the Lions.

The ACMA had already moved against the site itself. In January 2026 it asked Australian internet service providers to block the Vegastars website.

A warning, not a fine

After the regulator contacted them, both men accepted responsibility, ended their involvement with Vegastars and removed all the promotional material, the ACMA says. It has issued each of them a formal warning "to ensure their future compliance with the law". The ACMA announced warnings, not fines.

The penalties on the books are much larger. Under the ACMA's figures, a person who promotes or publicises an illegal gambling service can face a civil penalty of up to A$65,520 per contravention. Facilitating access, for example by posting hyperlinks or directing people to the site, can bring penalties of up to A$2,730,000. These are maximums set by law, not amounts anyone in this case has been ordered to pay.

"All influencers are now firmly on notice," said ACMA member Carolyn Lidgerwood. "Anyone who uses their online profile to promote illegal gambling services will face regulatory action which can include significant financial penalties." She added that the ACMA has stepped up its monitoring of illegal gambling promotion online, and that these warnings continue its recent enforcement against individual influencers.

Why the promotion itself is the offence

In our explanation: Australia licenses sports betting and racing wagering, but online casinos, meaning real-money slots, roulette and similar games, cannot be licensed to Australian customers at all. Any site offering them to people in Australia is operating illegally, and the Interactive Gambling Act also makes it unlawful to advertise or promote such a service. That is the law the ACMA used here.

Our takeaway for players is simple. A familiar face on a stream or a podcast says nothing about whether a casino is legal or safe. An illegal offshore site sits outside Australian consumer protections, including the national self-exclusion register BetStop, and if a dispute about a withdrawal comes up, there is no Australian regulator to take it to. The ACMA puts the risk more bluntly: "Illegal gambling services can cause significant financial harm to individuals and families."

This case is separate from the notable-persons rules starting on 1 January 2027. Those rules will stop licensed wagering companies from using athletes, celebrities and influencers in their ads. The Robinson and Mathieson warnings concern an unlicensed casino under the law that already applies today.

Australia is not the only country going after influencers. In Greece, the regulator has filed criminal complaints against 18 Instagram influencers over alleged promotion of unlicensed gambling sites. The ACMA has also been active against licensed operators, including the A$1.07m Dabble payment over BetStop breaches. And if a site shows a licence badge to look legitimate, the Isle of Man regulator's warning about fake licence claims is worth a read.

If gambling is causing you problems in Australia, Gambling Help Online offers free, confidential support, and BetStop lets you exclude yourself from all licensed Australian wagering providers.