The Australian Football League (AFL) has stepped in after its betting partner Sportsbet used artificial intelligence to create social media videos featuring professional players without their permission. The league directed the gambling operator to take down the content and cease producing any similar content without the approval of the athletes.
AFL Stars Featured in Sportsbet’s AI-Generated Clips
The furor followed Sportsbet’s release of AI-generated clips featuring AFL personalities in fictional scenarios inspired by pop culture and real-life sporting events. The campaign seemed directed at creating social media buzz through humor and appealing to younger audiences, reported The Guardian.
One of the clips showed former Brisbane Lions midfielder Lachie Neale apparently giving an acceptance speech after signing with Collingwood. The clip recreated a speech delivered by American rapper Snoop Dogg at a Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in 2018.
Another video has emerged of Brisbane Lions player Will Ashcroft delivering a line from the TV series Ozark. The mock-up was used by Sportsbet to comment on the 2026 AFL Grand Final, when Fremantle’s late-game tactics became a talking point.
The company’s AI-generated material also featured imagery of Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell and former North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson. Sportsbet also took the mickey out of Supercars driver Anton De Pasquale with AI-generated imagery after he ran out of fuel late in the Bathurst race, which cost him a possible victory.
Australia’s Upcoming Betting Ad Ban Adds Pressure on AFL
The Australian Football League Players Association (AFLPA) had previously flagged its concerns with the league. The players’ union said the videos violated the current collective bargaining agreement, which governs the commercial use of players’ images. The 2023-2027 deal allows for certain uses of player footage without individual consent, but it does not specifically address content produced by AI.
The AFL says it will continue to work with commercial partners to develop appropriate practices as artificial intelligence technology evolves. Sportsbet said it would take into account feedback from its partners and the wider community while reviewing its approach to AI content.
The incident comes as Australia is set to introduce restrictions on advertising for gambling. From 1 January 2027, new laws will prohibit betting firms from using celebrities and sports stars in advertisements, adding further restrictions on the way operators can link gambling to sports stars.
Independent senator David Pocock said the case demonstrated the need for stronger safeguards against AI-generated impersonations. He has expressed concern about using the likenesses of athletes to market gambling products without permission.
Researchers also asked if Sportsbet had adequately considered the commercial rights attached to the identities of athletes before publishing the videos.
The controversy could also complicate matters for the AFL, which has had a lucrative relationship with gambling operators who have poured many dollars into Australian sport in the past. A previous report suggested the AFL could miss out on about $80 million annually if Australia banned gambling advertising comprehensively. That figure underscores the financial stakes as sporting bodies adapt to tighter advertising rules.