Rapper Drake and others accused of “Deceptive” Online Gambling
Rapper Drake, livestreamer Adin Ross, and the online casino Stake.us are facing a class action lawsuit in Missouri. They are accused of skirting state gambling laws and misleading users with flashy, celebrity-fueled marketing, as reported by Forbes.
What the Lawsuit Against Stake.us Says
The suit, filed by Justin Killham, claims Stake disguised itself as a harmless “social casino” to hide what it really offers — real-money gambling. The platform lets U.S. players buy “gold coins” for fun. Then “rewards” them with Stake Cash, which can allegedly be wagered and later cashed out in cryptocurrency. A setup the lawsuit calls a “clear vehicle for real-money gambling”.
Drake and Ross, both brand ambassadors for Stake, are accused of promoting the casino to young audiences while using house money to make their livestreamed bets seem risk-free.
“Their losses are marketing”, the lawsuit alleges — part of a strategy to make gambling look glamorous and safe.
Drake, who boasts 142 million Instagram followers, has continued to post Stake promotions this week, including one showing a €/$1 million account balance.
Similar Legal Issues in California
Stake, co-founded by billionaires Ed Craven and Bijan Tehrani, already faces similar lawsuits in California, where officials argue that Stake’s “social casino” is just Stake.com in disguise. California recently passed a law banning such “dual-currency” gambling models altogether.
With Stake generating an estimated €/$4.7 billion in 2024 revenue, and its founders each worth €/$2.8 billion, the lawsuit could have major implications for the booming — and increasingly controversial — world of crypto-fueled online gambling.
The Canadian rapper Drake currently resides in Texas, US.
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Author: Irina Jakovleva
iGaming Strategy Expert & Technical Casino Reviewer
With over 10 years of industry experience, Irina specialises in technical casino audits and international gaming regulations. Having personally tested 300+ platforms, she verifies RNG certifications, payment speeds, and complex bonus mechanics to ensure your gaming is backed by empirical data and rigorous testing.