Australian Regulators Target Illegal Casino Promoted by Former AFL Players
Australian regulators have issued formal warnings to former Brisbane Lions players Mitch Robinson and Rhys Mathieson after finding that they promoted Vegastars, an online gambling platform authorities had already sought to block.
The promotions appeared on social media months after the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) asked internet service providers to restrict access to the site. The case highlights a challenge for regulators: blocking an offshore gambling website does not necessarily stop it reaching Australian audiences through social media personalities.
Promotions appeared after blocking request
In January 2026, ACMA asked Australian internet service providers to block Vegastars. However, promotional content featuring the platform appeared on Instagram and YouTube in March and April. Investigators found videos displaying Vegastars branding and its website address, along with footage of gambling on the platform and commentary encouraging viewers to engage with the service.
Robinson shared material through Instagram and the YouTube channel connected to his Rip Through It podcast. Mathieson’s involvement was identified through Instagram posts. Robinson played 247 AFL games for Carlton and Brisbane, while Mathieson made 72 appearances for the Lions. Their profiles as former professional athletes have continued to attract audiences online.
ACMA’s findings establish that both men promoted Vegastars. They do not establish how many Australians visited the site as a result. In addition to whether either player was paid, or how much gambling activity the posts generated.
Vegastars was already on ACMA’s radar
The platform had previously attracted regulatory action. ACMA’s records identify Neptune Projects SRL as the operator associated with Vegastars. The company received a formal warning in the first quarter of 2026 for providing prohibited and unlicensed interactive gambling services. The case sits within a broader enforcement effort. From January to March, ACMA completed 25 investigations covering 60 gambling websites and identified 44 breaches of Australia’s Interactive Gambling Act. During the same period, 109 websites were referred to internet service providers for blocking.
The figures show the scale of the challenge facing regulators: prohibited operators may continue trying to reach Australian customers even after action is taken against their websites. Social media promotions can provide another way to reach potential users.
Why no fines were issued
Neither Robinson nor Mathieson received a financial penalty. After ACMA contacted them, both accepted responsibility, ended their relationships with Vegastars and removed the promotional material. The regulator issued formal warnings instead.
ACMA member Carolyn Lidgerwood said the response was part of increased monitoring of gambling-related activity by online personalities. The regulator is concerned about the financial harm linked to illegal gambling services and the influence public figures can have on their followers.
Read Also: Australia’s 2027 Ban Will Keep Celebrities Out of Gambling Advertising.
The warnings nevertheless serve as a formal notice. Further breaches could lead to more serious enforcement action.
ACMA says individuals who advertise or publicise prohibited gambling services may face civil penalties of up to A$65,520 per contravention. Penalties can be much higher for facilitating access to an illegal service for example, by sharing links or directing users to a platform with a maximum of A$2.73 million. These are maximum possible penalties; neither amount was imposed on Robinson or Mathieson.
Scrutiny extends beyond football
The warnings follow other enforcement actions involving sporting personalities. In July 2026, mixed martial arts fighter Jamie Mullarkey received a formal warning after ACMA found sponsored Instagram posts from 2025 promoting an illegal offshore gambling operator. His account also included material identifying a sponsorship and directing followers to the service.
Mullarkey cooperated with the investigation, ended the arrangement and removed the posts. ACMA issued a warning after considering those circumstances.
Together, the cases point to a broader enforcement focus: regulators are looking not only at operators providing illegal gambling services, but also at people who help promote them to Australian audiences. ACMA had issued guidance to influencers in June 2025, warning that gambling demonstrations, promotional giveaways and links to gambling websites could breach Australian law. The subsequent investigations show that individual social media personalities are now part of the regulator’s enforcement efforts.
The warnings have also prompted discussion among users of Reddit’s AFL community, where commenters reacted to the former players’ involvement in the promotions.
