The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) formally warned former Australian Football League (AFL) players Mitch Robinson and Rhys Mathieson on October 22. They promoted the offshore online casino Vegastars, which is banned in the country. No fines were issued; these are formal warnings.
The regulator found that both men, who became influencers after their playing careers, posted videos featuring Vegastars' name, logo and address, gameplay footage and positive comments. The content ran in March and April 2026. Robinson posted it on Instagram and on the Rip Through It YouTube podcast, while Mathieson posted only on Instagram.
Vegastars does not hold a licence in Australia. ACMA asked local providers to block the site as early as January 2026, meaning the operator side of the story was dealt with before the case reached the advertisers.
According to ACMA member Carolyn Lidgerwood, both acknowledged responsibility after the regulator's approach, ended their cooperation with Vegastars and removed the material. She also said: “All influencers are now firmly on notice.” She said promoting banned services could lead to measures, including large fines.
The publications do not make clear how much the two bloggers earned from the advertising or whether they had partnership terms with the operator beyond fixed payments. We do not cite the size of civil penalties under Australian law: figures in sources vary by currency and have not been checked against the text of the law.
For affiliates and partner networks buying Australian traffic, the signal is direct: ACMA is going after not only websites but also the people who bring in audiences. Decisions on specific cases should be checked against the regulator's own investigation reports.
