Drake and Stake Face New Federal Lawsuit
A new federal civil class-action lawsuit targeting the online gambling platform Stake was filed on December 31, 2025, in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, naming several high-profile figures connected to online gambling and digital entertainment.
The case targets rapper Drake, livestream personality Adin Ross, the online platform Stake.us, and marketer George Nguyen. It alleges coordinated misconduct tied to gambling losses suffered by Virginia users.
Related: Stake.us, Drake and Adin Ross Face Missouri Lawsuit Alleging Unlicensed Online Casino PlayThe complaint was brought by two plaintiffs who say they lost money while using Stake.us and now seek damages on behalf of other similarly situated users. The lawsuit is civil in nature and does not involve criminal charges, with all allegations yet to be tested in court.
At the core of the filing is the claim that Stake.us falsely presents itself as a social casino that does not involve real gambling. Plaintiffs argue the platform instead operates an illegal betting system through a dual-currency model that allows players to wager assets convertible into cryptocurrency.
The lawsuit asserts that this structure is designed to sidestep U.S. gambling laws while encouraging compulsive wagering behavior. According to the complaint, users are drawn in by marketing that downplays financial risk while enabling real monetary losses.
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Claims of Stream Manipulation and Influencer Incentives
Beyond gambling allegations, the suit introduces claims involving the manipulation of online music streaming metrics. Plaintiffs allege that Stake.us's tipping feature was used to discreetly move funds that supported the artificial promotion of Drake's music across major streaming platforms.
The complaint contends that these payments were funneled into automated networks that inflated streaming counts, creating a misleading appearance of popularity. Such activity, plaintiffs argue, distorted recommendation algorithms and unfairly impacted competing artists and industry decision-makers.
As examples, the lawsuit references publicly available livestream footage, including a 2023 broadcast in which Drake appeared to tip Ross a substantial sum. Plaintiffs claim these moments were intended to portray house-funded money as personal wagering activity, misleading viewers about both gambling risks and promotional intent.
The filing also points to an expensive gift allegedly provided to Ross shortly before the lawsuit was filed, characterizing it as further evidence of coordinated incentives. Plaintiffs argue these actions collectively misled U.S. consumers while driving engagement with a gambling product that would otherwise face regulatory barriers.
Reaction online was swift, with social media users offering humor, skepticism, and speculation as the lawsuit emerged around the New Year. While some commenters dismissed the case as another civil challenge unlikely to succeed, others viewed it as part of a broader reckoning for celebrity-backed crypto gambling.
No defendants have formally responded, and no rulings have been issued. Legal analysts note that civil racketeering claims require extensive evidence of coordinated conduct, suggesting the case could face a lengthy and complex path through the courts.
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