Australian Football League demands removal of AI videos featuring football stars
The League has asked Sportsbet, which produced such videos for social media, to take action
The Australian Football League (AFL) has demanded that its official partner Sportsbet stop using players' images in AI-generated content without their consent. The company was ordered to remove videos in which athletes recite lines from films, TV series, and celebrity speeches.
The videos were age-restricted and created to attract new customers via social media. One of the videos depicted player Lachie Neale imitating rapper Snoop Dogg's speech at his Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony. Another showed player Will Ashcroft shouting a line from the series *Ozark* in response to a game situation in the 2026 AFL Grand Final.
Sportsbet removed the videos from its Instagram page on Tuesday following a request from *The Guardian*. The company had also used images of Hawthorn head coach Sam Mitchell and former North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson.
The AFL Players' Association (AFLPA) stated that the videos violated the collective bargaining agreement, which restricts the use of players' images by league partners. Association lawyer Alex Taverner emphasised that AI content featuring players is prohibited without their consent. The AFL confirmed it would work with Sportsbet to remove the content.
A Sportsbet spokesperson stated that the company creates content to entertain fans and considers partner feedback. The 2023–2027 collective bargaining agreement permits the use of players' images without permission only in limited cases but does not mention AI.
Senator David Pocock noted that the situation demonstrates the need for stricter regulation. The federal government has already passed a law prohibiting athletes from appearing in gambling advertisements, but the new rules will only take effect next year.