The AFL has instructed its official gambling partner, Sportsbet, to cease featuring high-profile athletes in AI-generated social media content without their permission. This directive comes after Sportsbet was found to have published videos depicting AFL stars delivering lines from movies and television shows, which were intended to enhance engagement on social media.
Context
The videos were age-restricted and aimed at attracting new audiences and customers. This action is particularly significant as the federal government has recently legislated to ban athletes from appearing in gambling advertisements, with the new rules set to take effect next year.
One notable AI-generated video featured former Brisbane Lions premiership player Lachie Neale, who was shown mimicking a speech from Snoop Dogg. In the video, Neale stated:
“"Last but not least, I want to thank me for believing in me. I want to thank me for doing all this hard work."
Another video depicted Will Ashcroft, a dual Norm Smith medallist, who was shown screaming a line from the television show Ozark:
“"If you want to stop me you’re going to have to fucking kill me."
Developments
These videos were removed from Sportsbet's Instagram page on Tuesday afternoon after Guardian Australia reached out for comment. Sportsbet had also created AI content using images of Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell and former North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson. Despite the humorous intent, the AFL Players’ Association (AFLPA) expressed dissatisfaction with the content.
The AFLPA, which serves as a union for players, wrote to the league last week, arguing that the videos violated a collective bargaining agreement that restricts how players' images can be used by the league’s partners. Alex Taverner, the association’s general manager of legal affairs, stated:
