Key Highlights
- Drake is named in a U.S. class action lawsuit tied to promotions for crypto casino Stake.
- Plaintiffs allege illegal gambling access and misuse of funds to boost streaming numbers.
- Defendants, including Drake and Stake, have declined public comment so far.
A new federal lawsuit has accused Drake of promoting an allegedly illegal crypto-based gambling platform and using related proceeds to inflate his streaming numbers. This marks the latest legal challenge tied to the rapper’s high-profile partnership with online casino operator Stake.
The class action lawsuit, filed this week in a U.S. federal court in Virginia, names Drake alongside streamer Adin Ross, Australian national George Nguyen, and entities linked to Stake, a crypto-focused online gambling platform founded in 2017. The complaint alleges violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and seeks at least $5 million in damages.
Allegations tied to Stake promotions
According to the lawsuit, plaintiffs LaShawnna Ridley and Tiffany Hines allege that Drake’s paid promos, livestreamed bets, and giveaways drew them to Stake. The filing claims the content sold the platform as safe and legit, even though online casino gambling is illegal in Virginia.
While Stake is officially based outside the U.S., the complaint alleges that its U.S.-facing platform, Stake.us, operates by exploiting a disputed legal loophole that allows access in jurisdictions where online casinos are prohibited.
Drake signed a widely publicized endorsement deal with Stake in 2022, reportedly worth $100 million, making him one of the platform’s most visible ambassadors.
Claims of streaming manipulation
Beyond gambling allegations, the lawsuit claims that funds routed through Stake were used to finance online bot farms and “amplification campaigns” designed to artificially inflate Drake’s streaming numbers on platforms such as Spotify.
The filing offers no technical evidence of manipulation but argues that gambling proceeds were repurposed to boost visibility and engagement. Representatives for Drake, Stake, Ross, and Nguyen have declined to comment on the case, according to NME.
A pattern of legal scrutiny
This is not the first lawsuit to challenge Drake’s association with Stake. In October, a separate case filed in Missouri accused Drake and Ross of misleading users by portraying Stake.us as a “social casino” rather than an allegedly illegal gambling platform. That case was later moved to federal court.
Stake has also faced other setbacks. These include branding disputes in Australia and a $41 million crypto hack in 2023 that emptied hot wallets across Ethereum, Polygon, and BNB Chain. The site kept running, but the regulatory heat never really cooled.
Gambling, visibility, and risk
Drake has been open about his gambling activity. In June, he disclosed losing more than $8 million after placing roughly $125 million in bets in a single month, reinforcing the long-running pop culture narrative known as the “Drake curse.”
As the Virginia case moves ahead, it sharpens a familiar question: where does hype end and responsibility begin when celebrities sell crypto gambling? The claims aren’t proven, but the warning shot is clear: fame is no longer a shield when crypto and betting collide.
Also read: Medical Specialist Loses RM529,200 in Fake Crypto Investment Scheme
