Polymarket accused of illegal election betting promotion in Australia
Polymarket is under investigation after being accused of paying influencers to promote election betting in Australia. The country’s regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), is reported to have launched a formal inquiry into the matter.
This week, Australia re-elected Labor’s Anthony Albanese as its Prime Minister, an event that garnered major media attention and, as is increasingly common, a surge in betting activity. As with many high-profile events—political, sporting, or even religious—bettors flocked to online platforms to place their wagers. And as always, the bigger the stakes, the greater the number of participants. For instance, the recent papal election saw $40.4 million in bets placed across major platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket.
Illegal in Australia, but promoted online
Polymarket, however, is not licensed in Australia, making it illegal for use in the country. According to Crikey, an independent news outlet, this did not prevent the platform from hiring influencers to promote betting on the Prime Minister’s election on social media. In the meantime, access to the platform could easily be gained using a VPN.
A report by Cam Wilson for Crikey, published on 29 April 2025, alleges that the US-based prediction platform paid Australian TikTok and Instagram influencers to promote bets on the Australian federal election. The report presents evidence that multiple influencers accepted the deal and posted content highlighting current betting odds on the platform.
“Each of these creators cited Polymarket odds and tagged the company’s account in their posts,” the report states. The influencers involved boast followings in the hundreds of thousands, with one nearing a million followers.
Regulatory backlash and global concerns
The report was deemed credible enough to prompt an investigation by ACMA. Potential outcomes include sanctions against the influencers involved, as well as extraterritorial action against Polymarket itself.
The intersection of influencers and unregulated gambling platforms has become a persistent challenge for regulators worldwide. A demonstrated how influencer marketing significantly increases the social acceptance of gambling among minors.
“As soon as they see a famous YouTuber or TikToker or Instagrammer, they think it’s suddenly cool, and they want to do it too,” said a 13-year-old girl interviewed for the report.
Another excerpt reads: “Some young people suggested that because celebrities and influencers live aspirational lifestyles, their appearance in gambling ads may give viewers the impression that gambling might help them achieve that same lifestyle.”
“I think you kind of get shown a bit of their lifestyle in it and think that if you can win like they are, then you can have that lifestyle too,” added a 15-year-old boy.
In response to growing public concern, several countries have already banned gambling advertisements involving influencers.
