Illegal gambling is back in the headlines in Australia, with the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) keeping itself busy over the last few days.
For starters, the regulator’s administration had to stamp and send a formal warning to Jamie Mullarkey, a mixed martial arts fighter.
On top of getting paid to risk it all in the octagon, the UFC-signed fighter had also apparently been making money behind the scenes by promoting an illegal gambling platform.
The ACMA conducted an investigation which showed that Mullarkey was posting content sponsored by the unnamed platform on his Instagram account in 2025, including direct links to the illegal gambling site and hashtags affiliated with the company’s marketing campaigns.
It goes without saying that these actions are in direct breach of Australia’s online gambling regulations.
Carolyn Lidgerwood, Authority Member at the ACMA, commented: “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.
“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. Mr 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.”
As it is, Mullarkey avoided any meaningful repercussions, most likely due to quick response and his “genuine remorse”.
The reality remains unchanged, though – individuals who promote illegal online gambling can face penalties up to AU$59,400 (£30k). Adding a hyperlink to these services can ramp up that amount to AU$2.5m (£1.3m).
Illegal iPoker ring gets what it deserves
Speaking of penalties worth millions of dollars, Australia’s Federal Court has just dished out two of them to a company found to have facilitated illegal online poker on Australian soil, alongside the Director associated with it.
Brisbane Poker Pty Ltd got served with a AU$15m penalty, while Founder and Director Rhys Edward Jones now has to put aside AU$9m to settle with the Court.
Before rebranding, Brisbane Poker was operating under the name Diverse Link Pty, which also got hit with a $5m penalty in 2023.
Meanwhile, Brenton Lee Buttigieg, who was said to have been acting as the main administrator for the company, was also handed a AU$240k penalty after the latest Court ruling.
All penalties combined amount to a total of $29.2m, with the illegal online poker services linked to the case named as PPPfish, Shuffle Gaming and Redraw Poker.
The ACMA decided to pursue both individuals in civil court back in April, 2022, in order to secure the substantial penalties.
If found to be offending again, both Jones and Buttigieg will face criminal proceedings instead of a civil case, which will also most likely carry prison sentences.
Nerida O’Loughlin, ACMA Chair, added: “This decision sends a clear warning that offering online poker to Australians is illegal and there are serious consequences for those who breach the law.
“Illegal gambling services put Australians at risk, and the ACMA will continue to take action against those who target these services at Australian consumers.”
