ACMA Targets Social Media Influencers for Promoting Unlicensed Offshore Betting Services
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has issued a formal warning to mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Jamie Mullarkey for violating the country’s strict online gambling advertising laws. A comprehensive ACMA investigation revealed that during 2025, Mr. Mullarkey utilized his personal Instagram account to distribute sponsored posts promoting an illegal, unlicensed offshore gambling platform.
The fighter’s profile directly featured details regarding his commercial sponsorship arrangements with the black-market provider, incorporating active tracking hyperlinks to the gambling website alongside dedicated promotional hashtags. Under Australian interactive gambling statutes, individuals and corporate entities are strictly prohibited from publicizing, streaming, or embedding hyperlinks tied to illegal offshore operators.
The Influencer Sandbox: Heightened Regulatory Oversight on Social Media
The enforcement action signals a major operational pivot for the ACMA as it moves to systematically audit social media channels, live streams, and influencer promotional arrays. Australian online gambling regulations declare that the marketing of uncertified digital betting solutions is a severe offense. This protective framework blocks influencers from broadcasting logos during live feeds, coordinating marketing giveaways tied to unapproved casinos, or embedding hyperlinks that route local traffic to offshore servers.
ACMA member Carolyn Lidgerwood clarified that the agency’s legal compliance teams are actively monitoring high-profile sports personalities and digital creators to mitigate consumer exposure:
“Athletes and social media personalities with large online followings can have significant influence over their audiences and can encourage the use of illegal gambling services. This is the first enforcement action we have taken against an influencer for breaching online gambling rules, and it should serve as a warning to others.”
While the regulator chose to issue a formal warning in this specific instance, the agency emphasized that future violations across the influencer community will face severe statutory pushback. The mildness of the sanction was granted purely due to mitigating actions taken by Mullarkey, who cooperatively worked with compliance officers, accepted full accountability for the breach, expressed genuine remorse, and rapidly dismantled his offshore marketing material.
Financial Risks of Compliance Infractions
To deter other public figures and marketing agencies from signing distribution contracts with black-market iGaming brands, the ACMA reiterated the multi-tiered civil penalty matrix established under Australian law:
- Promotional Content Infractions: Influencers who publicize or endorse illegal online gambling services are exposed to personal civil penalties reaching up to $59,400 per violation.
- Access Facilitation Violations: Entities or individuals who directly facilitate access to unlicensed operators—such as providing active hyperlinks, link-in-bio redirections, or mirror domain lists—face maximum statutory penalties topping out at $2,475,000.
The regulatory authority confirmed it intends to deploy its full arsenal of punitive tools to insulate Australian citizens from offshore operators that refuse to integrate state-mandated responsible gambling tools and tax contributions.
