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The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has issued a formal warning to Jamie Mullarkey, a mixed martial arts fighter, for breaching Australia’s online gambling laws.
The rules prohibit the promotion of illegal gambling services, including posts or live streams featuring illegal services, sharing links to those services or running promotional giveaways connected to illegal gambling services.
The ACMA investigation found that Mullarkey promoted an illegal offshore gambling service on his Instagram account, via sponsored posts, in 2025.
Mullarkey’s profile on Instagram also referred to his sponsorship arrangements with the company, including a link to the gambling site and posts with promotional hashtags referring to the service.
Carolyn Lidgerwood, an ACMA member, said the enforcement action should put social media influencers and their agents on notice.
“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,” she said.
“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.
“In this case the ACMA issued a formal warning considering the specific circumstances of the matter.
“This included that Mr Mullarkey ended the sponsorship arrangement promptly, cooperated with the investigation and quickly removed the material.
“Mullarkey also accepted responsibility for his conduct and expressed genuine remorse.
“However, all influencers need to be aware that promoting illegal online gambling sites is against the law and can result in significant penalties.”
Individuals who promote or publicise illegal online gambling services can face civil penalties of up to $59,400.
Those who facilitate access to illegal gambling services, including by providing hyperlinks or directing users to those services, may face penalties of up to $2,475,000.
“The ACMA will use its full suite of regulatory tools, including these substantial civil penalties, where influencers promote or facilitate access to illegal gambling services,” said Lidgerwood.
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