Stake
Stake is a cryptocurrency-focused online casino and sportsbook offering thousands of gambling games including slots, table games, and sports betting. Operating under a Curacao license, it transacts mainly in cryptocurrencies and has gained prominence through celebrity endorsements such as Drake, streamer partnerships on Kick, and a Formula 1 title sponsorship that ran from 2023 to 2025.
Score generated by AI agents based on publicly cited evidence and reviewed by the project maintainer. Not independently validated. Last assessed 2026-10-01.
Score History
Timeline events are AI-curated from public reporting. Score trajectory is derived from documented events.
Ed Craven and Bijan Tehrani, who had built the Primedice dice game, launched Stake.com through Curaçao-registered Medium Rare N.V., offering a narrow set of provably fair 'Originals' games for crypto deposits. A multi-tier VIP program followed around 2019 and a sportsbook in late 2019. The site was small and drew little regulatory attention, but its Curaçao licence and worldwide crypto access set up the jurisdictional arbitrage that later defined it.
COVID-19 lockdowns fuelled a boom in online gambling and livestreaming. From mid-2020 Stake paid casino streamers such as Trainwreckstv to gamble live, with a lifetime cut of the bets of players they referred, and Craven later said the pandemic put 'rocket boosters' on the operation; messages published in 2025 show the CEO personally hosting a teenage high roller and, after the player self-excluded in late 2021, applying his perks to a 'buddy' account. Stake became UFC's first betting partner in Latin America and Asia in March 2021, sponsored Watford's shirt from July 2021 and opened a UK site with white-label partner TGP Europe in December 2021.
Drake's reported $100 million-a-year deal in March 2022 opened Stake's peak marketing era: Stake.us launched in August 2022 as a US sweepstakes version, Everton signed a club-record shirt deal, and reporting found Stake-paid affiliate sites teaching VPN workarounds. After Twitch banned unlicensed gambling streams, the founders launched Kick in December 2022; Stake took the Sauber F1 title sponsorship in 2023 and stamped its logo across viral X posts in 2024. A $41 million hack attributed to North Korea's Lazarus Group, a Dutch order barring Stake ads at the 2024 Grand Prix and acquisitions in Colombia and Italy marked a platform at full scale beginning to meet regulators.
From January 1, 2025, Stake required identity verification from every user, ending anonymous play, and agreed to buy Danish licensee MocinoPlay. The UK ASA investigated Stake-watermarked social posts, and a Stake-branded Bonnie Blue clip led the Gambling Commission to investigate, after which TGP Europe shut Stake's UK site by March 2025. Kick stopped hourly pay for Slots & Casino streamers in March, and in August Drake publicly accused Stake of blocking four of his withdrawals.
The Los Angeles City Attorney's August 2025 suit calling Stake.us an illegal casino began a wave of US legal action: California banned sweepstakes casinos from 2026, Stake.us left Tennessee under state enforcement, and class actions in Missouri, Virginia (under RICO) and Ohio targeted Stake.us, Drake and Adin Ross. Adin Ross left Stake for a rival casino in September 2025 and was briefly banned from Kick. Stake's Formula 1 title sponsorship ended with the 2025 season as Audi took over Sauber. In December 2025 the ABC published messages showing Craven acting as VIP host to a high roller who had self-excluded.
Illinois regulators and the Attorney General ordered 65 sweepstakes operators including Stake.us out of the state in February 2026; Stake.us complied, and weeks later Bloomberg Businessweek reported that Drake hit big wins on Easygo-owned games about four times as often as average, which Stake called 'categorically incorrect'. State bans pushed Stake.us's restricted list to 22 states, a Virginia judge sent one class action to individual arbitration, and in September 2026 Nigerian regulators declared Stake illegal in 24 states and Stake geo-blocked Ireland. At the same time Stake pushed into licensed markets, launching in Denmark and Mexico and registering in Alberta.
Alternatives
Curacao-licensed crypto casino emphasizing provably fair games and a streamlined user experience, with similar cryptocurrency deposit and withdrawal functionality. Shares the offshore regulatory risks of Stake.
Crypto casino and sportsbook with a large game library and provably fair games, now licensed in Anjouan after giving up its Curacao licence. Offers similar cryptocurrency-native gambling with a loyalty program, though it carries the same offshore regulatory risks as Stake.
Publicly traded, US-regulated sportsbook operating legally in more than 20 states, with online casino games in the handful of states that allow them. Offers state-regulated consumer protections, responsible gambling tools and regulatory accountability that offshore crypto casinos lack, though it requires identity verification and offers no crypto-native play.
Dimensional Breakdown
Summaries below were written by AI agents based on the cited evidence. They are editorial interpretations, not independent research findings.
Dimension History
Timeline (72 events)
Stake.com launches as crypto-only casino under Curacao license
Ed Craven and Bijan Tehrani, who previously created the Primedice crypto dice game in 2013, launch Stake.com through Medium Rare N.V. under a Curacao eGaming license. The platform initially offers a narrow set of proprietary 'Originals' games with provably fair mechanics, accepting only cryptocurrency deposits.
Stake implements VIP tiered loyalty system with opaque bonus formulas
Stake introduces its multi-tier VIP program, eventually growing to 15 tiers from Bronze to Obsidian. The program requires $10,000 wagered just to reach Bronze and uses proprietary algorithms to calculate reload bonuses based on undisclosed formulas incorporating wagering volume, profit/loss ratios, and time periods. The system creates sunk-cost psychology that discourages users from switching to competing casinos.
Stake launches sportsbook, expanding beyond casino games
Stake expands its offering with the addition of a comprehensive sports betting section, enabling cryptocurrency wagering across a wide range of sports and esports markets. This diversification significantly broadens the platform's user base and revenue streams beyond its original casino-only model.
COVID-19 lockdowns accelerate Stake's growth via Twitch streaming
The COVID-19 pandemic drives explosive growth in online gambling and livestreaming, and Stake capitalizes by paying high-profile casino streamers to play on its site. Ed Craven later described the pandemic as putting 'rocket boosters on the operation.' By 2021 Stake had 5 million registered users and over $80 billion in annual transaction volume.
Stake turns to paid live-streamers with lifetime revenue share
Midway through 2020 Stake hires its first official marketer, Akhil Sarin, whose idea of paying streamers to gamble live on the site Ed Craven agrees to trial. Streamers receive a cut of every bet placed by players they refer, continuing indefinitely, and Stake later signs xQc and Trainwreckstv to contracts reportedly worth more than US$1 million a month that require them to gamble live for their fans.
Stake becomes UFC's first-ever betting partner in Latin America and Asia
UFC announces Stake.com as its first-ever 'Official Betting Partner' in Latin America (excluding Brazil) and Asia, creating a new sponsorship category. The deal includes exclusive promotions, VIP experiences, and content featuring UFC champion Israel Adesanya, who had recently become Stake's first-ever brand ambassador. UFC said it broadcasts to approximately 900 million TV households.
Trainwreckstv claims $360M from 16 months of Stake-sponsored gambling streams
Twitch streamer Trainwreckstv (Tyler Niknam) begins high-profile gambling streams sponsored by Stake. In October 2022 he claimed he had been paid $360 million in the 16 months since signing with Stake, a figure many viewers doubted and that may have included gambling credit. Sponsored streams like his helped push Twitch to ban unlicensed gambling sites.
Stake becomes Watford FC shirt sponsor in first Premier League deal
Stake signs a principal partnership with Watford FC, becoming the club's front-of-shirt sponsor as Watford returns to the Premier League for the 2021/22 season. The deal is reportedly worth £5 million a year and paid in cryptocurrency, and Stake promotes it with a giveaway of 10 million Dogecoin.
Trainwreckstv questions whether 'weird s**t' is behind his Stake wins
On stream, Stake-sponsored Twitch gambler Trainwreckstv (Tyler Niknam) says he is uncomfortable with his Stake deal and wonders aloud, 'is there weird s**t going on?', reacting to his hot run on the site and the possibility that games were rigged for promotion. He asks whether he is 'dealing with extreme insane luck' and says 'some of these statistics are near-impossible.'
Stake expands to UK via TGP Europe white-label partnership
In December 2021 Stake launched a UK website in partnership with TGP Europe, which ran it under a Gambling Commission white-label licence. Unlike Stake.com, the UK site dealt only in fiat currency.
Stake CEO applies a self-excluded VIP's perks to a 'buddy' account
In late 2021 a Swedish high roller, who had joined Stake on a VIP deal at 17, self-excludes. When he asks for his VIP perks to be moved to a new account, Ed Craven replies that getting around the exclusion is 'not the best idea'; weeks later the player asks for the perks to be applied to a 'buddy' account and Craven replies 'All set'. The player goes on to use seven Stake accounts and gamble for two more years, according to messages later obtained by the ABC.
Stake signs reported $100M annual deal with Drake
Stake announces a partnership with rapper Drake, reportedly worth at least $100 million per year according to the Financial Times. Under the deal, Drake receives credit to gamble during live streams, presenting himself as a high-rolling gambler to millions of fans. The partnership becomes Stake's most visible marketing vehicle, though later lawsuits allege Drake was gambling with house money while appearing to risk his own funds.
Stake signs Everton FC in club-record sponsorship deal
Stake signs a multi-year front-of-shirt sponsorship with Everton Football Club, the highest-value deal in Everton's 144-year history. The deal places the Stake logo on men's and women's team shirts, building on the earlier Watford partnership to expand Stake's Premier League visibility.
Investigation reveals Stake paid 14 websites to promote VPN bypass
Investigative reporting by Reporter London finds that at least 14 websites carry affiliate links paid by Stake while instructing readers how to use VPNs to access Stake.com from restricted jurisdictions including the UK and US. The sites use 'strikingly similar wording' encouraging VPN use, suggesting coordinated promotion of methods to circumvent geo-blocking and gambling regulations.
Stake.us launches as a US sweepstakes casino
Stake enters the US market with Stake.us, run by Cyprus-registered Sweepsteaks Limited, a US-focused entity linked to Easygo. Because Stake.com cannot serve US players, Stake.us uses a dual-currency sweepstakes model: players buy Gold Coins and receive Stake Cash that can be redeemed for crypto prizes or gift cards. The model later becomes the target of state bans and lawsuits calling it a disguised real-money casino.
Former partner Freeman files $400M lawsuit over Primedice profits
Christopher Freeman files a lawsuit in New York seeking approximately $400 million, alleging that Ed Craven and Bijan Tehrani cut him out of profits from Primedice and Stake. Freeman claims his 20% stake in Primedice was diluted to 14% and that he was later shut out entirely. Stake's founders called the allegations 'provably false.'
Twitch bans Stake and unlicensed gambling streams
Twitch announces it will prohibit streams of slots, roulette, and dice sites not licensed in the US or other jurisdictions with sufficient consumer protections, effective October 18, 2022. The policy covers Stake.com, Rollbit, Duelbits, and Roobet. The decision follows a streamer backlash after Sliker reportedly misled people into giving him at least $200,000 to gamble.
Stake founders launch Kick streaming platform after Twitch ban
Ed Craven and Bijan Tehrani launch Kick as a direct competitor to Twitch, offering streamers a 95/5 subscription revenue split compared to Twitch's 50/50 and permitting gambling content that Twitch had banned. Trainwreckstv promotes the platform as a non-owner advisor, and gambling becomes one of its central content categories. Kick later signs major streamers such as xQc and Adin Ross in 2023.
Stake becomes title sponsor of Sauber F1 team
Alfa Romeo's Formula 1 team, run by Sauber, announces Stake as its new title sponsor, racing as 'Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake' for at least the 2023 season. Stake says it will run activations at races around the world.
Freeman's amended complaint says Stake uses a confusing corporate structure to dodge regulators
DL News reports that in January 2023 former partner Christopher Freeman broadened his $400 million lawsuit against Stake's founders, alleging that Stake uses a confusing corporate structure to dodge regulators, that its marketing targets consumers where gambling is illegal, and that the founders encouraged players in prohibited jurisdictions to use VPNs. Ed Craven called the complaints 'entirely without merit.'
Stake's UK partner TGP Europe fined £316,250 by Gambling Commission
The UK Gambling Commission fines TGP Europe £316,250 for failures in anti-money laundering controls and social responsibility. TGP operated Stake's UK website (stake.uk.com) under a white-label arrangement. The Commission found TGP failed to adequately mitigate money laundering risks from B2B relationships and relied on automated interactions when customers triggered safer gambling alerts.
Kick signs xQc to $70-100M streaming deal
Kick signs popular streamer xQc (Felix Lengyel) to a two-year, non-exclusive deal reported at $100 million, one of several lucrative contracts Kick used to lure top Twitch talent in 2023. The platform is backed by Stake co-founders Ed Craven and Bijan Tehrani.
North Korea's Lazarus Group steals $41M from Stake hot wallets
Over $41 million in cryptocurrency is stolen from Stake in a cyberattack on or about September 4. On September 6 the FBI attributes the theft to North Korea's Lazarus Group (APT38) and lists addresses on the Ethereum, Binance Smart Chain, Polygon and Bitcoin networks that received the funds. The FBI says the same actors stole more than $200 million from crypto platforms in 2023 alone.
Stake acquires Betfair Colombia to enter Latin America
Stake announces the acquisition of Betfair Colombia and its license from Flutter Entertainment, gaining a licensed presence in one of Latin America's first regulated online gambling markets. The move signals Stake's strategy to complement its offshore Curacao operations with selectively acquired regulated market positions, using Colombia as a gateway to the wider Latin American market.
Swiss Federal Gaming Board opens investigation into Sauber F1 sponsorship
The Swiss Federal Gaming Board (FGB) opens proceedings against Sauber Motorsport over concerns that displaying the Stake logo on F1 cars constitutes unauthorized gambling advertising under Swiss law. The investigation raises the possibility of penalties for Sauber's home-country operations. In June 2024, the FGB clears Sauber, finding that Stake's offering is not accessible in Switzerland and Sauber did not run advertising explicitly aimed at the Swiss market.
Stake founders lift PointsBet holding above 5%
Ed Craven and Bijan Tehrani, through Easygo, buy more than 16 million additional shares in ASX-listed sportsbook PointsBet, taking their holding to 5.01%. They first built a 4.2% stake in December 2023. Stake.com had been unavailable to Australians, and the founders had reportedly explored an Australian wagering licence.
Stake acquires Idealbet to enter regulated Italian market
Stake completes the acquisition of Baldo Line, which holds an Italian gaming licence, gaining the licensed sports betting and remote gaming operator Idealbet.it. Stake says it will open an office in Italy, extending its strategy of operating in regulated markets alongside its offshore Curacao platform.
BitcoinTalk user alleges Stake manipulates 'provably fair' results
A BitcoinTalk forum thread claims Stake manipulates game results through the nonce and cites bet IDs appearing out of sequence as evidence. Other forum members reply that bet IDs are not part of provably fair verification, which relies only on the server seed, client seed and nonce.
Dutch gambling authority orders Stake branding removed from Dutch Grand Prix
The Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) orders Formula One and Sauber not to advertise Stake.com at the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, because Stake has no Dutch licence and promoting it breaches the Remote Gambling Act (KOA). The KSA says the event draws the attention of vulnerable groups, particularly minors and young adults.
404 Media details Stake's watermark campaign on viral X posts
404 Media reports that Stake appears to be using influencers, engagement-farming accounts and stolen content to advertise on X, stamping its logo over viral videos and images, some labelled as ads and some not. The outlet describes the campaign as an apparent attempt to get around X's rules restricting gambling ads. The UK Advertising Standards Authority had said in October 2024 it would monitor the watermarks.
Kick changes gambling broadcast rules in apparent self-preferencing move
Kick announces that from February 1, 2025, gambling content may only be streamed from sites that verify users' identity and age. Critics argue the rules are designed to marginalize competing casinos while favoring Stake; streamer Xposed said they show Kick's control 'to make everyone come back to Stake' and that streams of other gambling sites are kept off the front page and recommendations.
Stake makes KYC verification mandatory for all users
As of January 1, 2025, Stake.com requires all users to complete Know Your Customer verification, including a government-issued ID and proof of address, ending the platform's era of anonymous play. The change undercuts the privacy that attracted many crypto gamblers.
Stake agrees to buy Danish licensee MocinoPlay
Stake agrees to acquire MocinoPlay, the Danish-licensed operator of the VinderCasino brand, subject to approval by Denmark's gambling regulator Spillemyndigheden. Easygo's chief strategy officer says the deal gives Stake access to another high-value regulated market, following its purchases of Italy's IdealBet and Betfair Colombia.
UK ASA investigates Stake over logo on viral social media posts
The UK Advertising Standards Authority investigates Stake after complaints about social media posts that superimpose the gambling company's logo on viral images and videos. UK rules bar gambling ads with strong appeal to children or young people. The ASA said it could refer the matter to the Gambling Commission but noted most posts originated outside the UK.
Trainwreckstv says casinos favour 'fake balance' streamer deals
Asked on stream why Ed Craven likes 'fake balances', Stake partner Trainwreckstv says Craven prefers deals in which streamers gamble with casino-supplied money because 'nine times out of ten' the casino gets free advertising and its money back, before walking the claim back. He had earlier called such fake-money deals a scam and criticised Stake for going along with them.
Fincrime Central report details Stake's offshore Curacao structure
A Fincrime Central report describes Stake operating through Medium Rare N.V., registered in Curacao, with offices in Serbia, Australia and Cyprus and payments processed through a subsidiary in Nicosia. It argues that Curacao's weak enforcement has let Stake keep serving countries where it lacks a licence, and cites reports that Stake encourages players to bypass geo-blocks with VPNs.
Bonnie Blue video investigation ends Stake's UK site
A viral video with Stake branding, featuring adult actress Bonnie Blue outside Nottingham Trent University, triggers a Gambling Commission investigation into the Stake UK licence run by white-label partner TGP Europe. TGP tells the Commission it will shut Stake.uk.com; the Commission orders it to stop new registrations immediately, with the UK site closing by March 11, 2025. The Commission also warns Everton about promoting unlicensed gambling sites. TGP later surrendered its own licence in May 2025 after being told to pay a £3.3 million penalty.
Kick stops hourly pay for Slots & Casino streamers
Kick, the streaming platform backed by Stake's founders, makes creators streaming in its Slots & Casino category ineligible for the $16 hourly pay offered under its partner program. The change was framed around concerns that paying streamers by the hour could encourage longer gambling sessions; gambling streams remain allowed and streamers can still earn from subscriptions and donations.
Stake launches Stake Engine for outside game developers
Stake launches Stake Engine, a remote gaming server that lets independent developers build games and publish them to Stake's player base, paying them 10% of gross gaming revenue as a monthly royalty with no hidden fees. Stake says games built on the engine generated $3.31 billion in turnover over the previous year.
Academic study catalogs deceptive design on online gambling platforms
Research by Philip Newall published in the journal Addiction sets out a taxonomy of deceptive design on online gambling platforms: 'sludge' such as withdrawal friction, dark patterns such as high suggested deposit and bet sizes, and dark nudges such as presenting gambling as a fun activity. The paper addresses the industry as a whole and does not single out Stake.
xQc shows $3.6 billion wagered on Stake with about a 10% bet win rate
Streaming on Kick, xQc opens his Stake statistics: nearly $3.6 billion wagered across 1,345,423 bets, of which 1,200,994 lost, a win rate of about 10%. GamblingNews notes that his combined Kick and Stake deals are worth up to $275 million.
Drake says Stake blocked four withdrawals and ends his Kick streams
Drake closes his Kick account amid a public fallout with Stake's founders, calling Ed Craven a 'snake' in comments on a Trainwreckstv stream, and posts that four of his withdrawal attempts on Stake were blocked with no explanation. Trainwreckstv says he is also considering ending his relationship with Stake.
LA City Attorney files landmark lawsuit against Stake.us
Los Angeles City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto files a civil lawsuit in LA Superior Court against Stake.us operator Sweepsteaks Ltd., Easygo, Medium Rare, Kick, the founders, and game suppliers including Evolution and Hacksaw Gaming, alleging Stake.us operates an illegal gambling enterprise disguised as a social casino. The complaint calls Stake.us a 'carbon copy' of Stake.com created to circumvent US gambling laws, with prizes redeemable for cryptocurrency.
Adin Ross leaves Stake for Rainbet and is briefly banned from Kick
Adin Ross announces a new gambling sponsorship with rival casino Rainbet, moving on from his Stake deal. During the announcement stream his channel on Stake-backed Kick is banned without explanation, his first ban on the platform, and he briefly streams on Twitch before the Kick channel is restored.
California Governor signs AB 831 banning sweepstakes casinos
Governor Newsom signs Assembly Bill 831, passed unanimously by the California Legislature, banning online sweepstakes casinos in California effective January 1, 2026. The law targets the dual-currency model used by Stake.us. Analysts estimated it would wipe out roughly 20% of the sweepstakes industry's US revenue.
Class action filed in Missouri naming Stake, Drake, and Adin Ross
A class action filed in Jackson County Circuit Court, Missouri, names Stake.us operator Sweepsteaks Limited, Drake, and Adin Ross as defendants, alleging they promoted an illegal gambling scheme disguised as a social casino in which 'Stake Cash' can be cashed out 1:1 for dollars. The suit alleges Drake and Ross misrepresent whose money they are actually gambling with.
Stake.us to shut down entirely in Tennessee
Tennessee players report emails saying Stake.us will shut down in the state on December 19, 2025, ending both Stake Cash and Gold Coin play, as Stake.us, High 5 Casino and at least three other sweepstakes brands leave Tennessee. The exits follow stepped-up enforcement by Tennessee regulators against offshore and sweepstakes operators.
ABC publishes Ed Craven's messages with a VIP gambler seeking $1.5M
The ABC publishes messages from 2020 to 2024 between Ed Craven and a Swedish high roller who joined Stake as a 17-year-old. Craven offered to raise his blackjack limit to $100,000 a hand, sent top-VIP bonus links and arranged cashback on losses while the player described heavy losses, and applied his perks to a 'buddy' account after he self-excluded. The player's 2025 legal claim seeks US$1.5 million in losses, alleging Stake exploited his addiction; Stake's lawyers call him a professional gambler, say it monitors for signs of addiction and say he made a profit.
Stake's F1 title sponsorship ends as Audi takes over Sauber
Stake's title sponsorship of the Sauber team, branded 'Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber', ends with the 2025 season, the team's last before Audi rebrands it as its factory entry for 2026. Sauber marked the end of the Stake association with a one-off livery in Las Vegas; Stake's logos did not appear on the cars at the Qatar and Abu Dhabi races because of local advertising laws. The end of the deal removes Stake's most visible global marketing channel.
Easygo accounts show A$257M profit under sole director Ed Craven
Financial accounts lodged with the Australian Securities & Investments Commission show Easygo Group Holdings, the company behind Stake and Kick, earned A$257 million net profit on A$970 million revenue in the year to June 30, 2025, with net assets of A$5.07 billion. Ed Craven, the company's sole director, received a salary of A$250,000. Stake reported more than 21 million registered accounts and over $4.5 billion in gross gaming revenue in 2024.
Virginia class action targets Stake.us under RICO statutes
A class action filed in the Eastern District of Virginia against Stake.us operator Sweepsteaks Ltd., Drake, Adin Ross, and George Nguyen alleges that Stake.us operates as an illegal online gambling platform and that Drake and Ross gambled with house-provided Stake Cash. The complaint seeks damages under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and the Virginia Consumer Protection Act, including treble damages, restitution, and injunctive relief.
Easygo unites five exclusive Stake studios as Easygo Games
Stake parent Easygo brings five of its exclusive game suppliers, Twist Gaming, Massive Studios, Paperclip, Uppercut and Knucklehead Syndicate, under a new Easygo Games brand connected by the Stake Engine platform. Easygo says the studios keep creative autonomy and that it plans to add more.
Ohio class action labels Stake.us an illegal casino as lawsuits mount
Plaintiff Brenda Krivatch files a class action in the Southern District of Ohio alleging Stake.us operates as an unlicensed online casino. The complaint compares Stake.us to the 'internet cafe sweepstakes' setups that courts have repeatedly labeled illegal gambling, arguing Stake modernized the same workaround for an online audience. At least nine federal lawsuits are now pending against Stake.us across the United States.
Illinois Gaming Board and AG order Stake.us out of the state
On February 5, 2026, the Illinois Gaming Board, acting alongside Attorney General Kwame Raoul, issues cease-and-desist letters to 65 sweepstakes casino operators, explicitly naming Stake.us, for offering cash-redeemable games of chance in violation of Illinois criminal law. Operators are told to block Illinois residents immediately. Most platforms ignored the order, but Stake.us was among the few that complied, moving Illinois accounts to redeem-only mode, where players can cash out but no longer play or buy coins.
Stake launches in Denmark under a five-year licence
Stake launches in Denmark after securing a five-year online casino and sports betting licence, its first Nordic market, with a headquarters at Copenhagen's Parken Stadium from March 1, 2026. The launch follows its acquisition of Danish licensee MocinoPlay.
Bloomberg investigation finds Drake and Adin Ross win far more often on Stake's own games
Bloomberg Businessweek analyzes about 500 hours of live slots gameplay by 25 Stake gamblers streaming on Kick between June and August 2025. A 'big win' (1,000 times the bet or more) came about once every 10,000 spins on average, but Drake hit big wins on games owned by Stake's parent Easygo four times as often, about once every 2,500 spins, while his win rate on third-party games was average. Adin Ross also won unusually often on Easygo games. Stake disputes the analysis.
Indiana signs HB 1052 banning sweepstakes casinos effective July 2026
Indiana Governor Mike Braun signs House Bill 1052, banning sweepstakes casinos in the state from July 1, 2026, and imposing civil penalties on operators that keep serving Indiana players. Maine's LD 2007, which would make sweepstakes casinos illegal from July 14, 2026, passed the state House, while bills in Louisiana, Maryland, Tennessee and Minnesota advanced, widening the pressure on the dual-currency model that Stake.us operates.
Maine bans sweepstakes casinos with LD 2007
Maine Governor Janet Mills signs LD 2007, classifying dual-currency sweepstakes casinos, the model Stake.us uses, as unlawful gambling. Operators face fines of $10,000 to $100,000 per violation, and Maine becomes the second state in 2026 to ban sweepstakes casinos after Indiana.
New York lawsuit alleges Stake recruited a minor into crypto gambling
A lawsuit filed in New York by a plaintiff identified as John Doe alleges that Stake.com, Stake.us, Easygo and founders Craven and Tehrani operated as an integrated machine that enabled him to gamble as a minor, with Coinbase named for supplying the crypto payment rails. The complaint calls Stake.com an illegal offshore gambling platform that targeted and acquired minor users.
Paid 'clipping' spreads Stake streamer wins across social media
iGaming Expert reports that clipping, in which networks of editors are paid per view to repost streamer highlights, lets brands reach audiences for roughly $100 to $1,000 per million views, according to the founder of one clipping firm. Clips of Adin Ross playing on Stake have been widely shared by fan accounts, and Stake-branded clips appeared in a Louis Theroux documentary, with clippers based in countries such as India, the Philippines and Serbia beyond regulators' reach.
Stake launches a regulated site in Mexico
Stake launches stake.mx in Mexico ahead of the 2026 World Cup, operating as an agent under Uno Capali's permit from the regulator SEGOB. It extends Stake's push into locally regulated Latin American markets after Colombia and Peru.
Stake.us exits Illinois as its list of restricted states grows
Stake.us shuts down for Illinois players on May 19, 2026, moving their accounts to redeem-only mode: they can log in and redeem balances but can no longer play, buy coins, or join promotions. Stake.us was one of the few large operators to comply with the Illinois Gaming Board's order. By July 2026 Stake.us listed 22 states it could not serve, including Illinois, California, New York, Maryland, Louisiana, Indiana, Maine and Tennessee.
Tennessee enacts a ban on online sweepstakes casinos
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signs SB 2136/HB 1885, prohibiting dual-currency sweepstakes platforms that offer casino-style games and widening the attorney general's enforcement powers. Tennessee becomes the seventh state to prohibit sweepstakes casinos; several operators had already left after the attorney general's late-2025 cease-and-desist letters.
Everton keeps Stake as sleeve sponsor ahead of shirt-front ban
Everton agrees a multi-year deal making Stake its Official Sleeve Partner from the 2026-27 season, moving Stake's logo from the shirt front, where it had been for four seasons, to the sleeve. The change is designed to avoid the Premier League's new ban on front-of-shirt gambling sponsors; Stake branding also stays at Everton's stadiums and training ground.
UK proposes banning unlicensed gambling sponsors from sport
The UK government opens an eight-week consultation on banning sponsorship and advertising by gambling operators without a Gambling Commission licence, preferably from August 2027. Everton's new three-year Stake sleeve deal is among those that would be affected; Stake left the UK market in 2025.
Minnesota judge rejects Stake.us bid to force arbitration
US District Judge John Tunheim denies Stake.us's motion to compel arbitration in a proposed Minnesota class action by a user who says he lost more than $80,000, finding Stake had not shown a valid arbitration agreement, since a contract made in violation of Minnesota's gambling laws would be void, nor that the plaintiff personally accepted its terms. The case proceeds in federal court.
Virginia judge sends Stake.us class action to individual arbitration
Judge Leonie Brinkema of the Eastern District of Virginia grants Stake.us operator Sweepsteaks Ltd.'s motion to compel arbitration in the class action brought by eight Stake.us users, and stays the claims against Drake, Adin Ross, George Nguyen and Kick. Stake's terms require individual arbitration and a class-action waiver unless users opt out within 30 days; the court noted four earlier suits against Stake had reached the same result.
Louisiana ban on sweepstakes casinos takes effect
Louisiana's HB 883 bans dual-currency sweepstakes casinos from August 1, 2026, and companion bill HB 53 makes facilitating them a racketeering offence. Stake had already heeded the Louisiana Gaming Control Board's June 2025 cease-and-desist orders.
Drake returns to Kick for a Stake $1 million giveaway stream
Stake announces that global brand ambassador Drake will return to Kick on August 8, 2026, for a livestream with more than $1 million in giveaways as part of Stake's anniversary campaign, continuing the partnership despite his public dispute with the founders a year earlier.
Nigerian regulators declare Stake illegal in 24 states
The Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority adds Stake to its blocked list and, with the Federation of State Gaming Regulators of Nigeria, bans it across the federation's 24 member states. The regulator says Stake failed to register or remit monthly gaming taxes and levies despite at least 10 formal compliance notices over two years, and urges banks and payment firms to stop facilitating it.
Stake geo-blocks Ireland after regulator engagement
Stake reportedly blocks Irish customers after consultation with the new Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland, two months after the regulator's licensing regime began. The GRAI says a major international gambling platform has geo-blocked and that it is working to ensure Irish consumers are refunded their deposits.
Stake Canada registered as an Alberta iGaming operator
Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis registers Stake Canada, a subsidiary of Stake Gaming and Easygo, as an operator in the province's new regulated iGaming market. Stake still needs an operating agreement with the Alberta iGaming Corporation before launch, and had received a transition extension for grey-market operators.
Evidence (71 citations)
D1: User Value Erosion
D2: Business Customer Exploitation
D3: Shareholder Extraction
D4: Lock-in & Switching Costs
D5: Twiddling & Algorithmic Opacity
D6: Dark Patterns
D7: Advertising & Monetization Pressure
D8: Competitive Conduct
D9: Labor & Governance
D10: Regulatory & Legal Posture
Scoring Log (10 entries)
[Second regrade this cycle] [Third regrade this cycle, focused D10 re-check after restore-check] 57→57, no change. D10 current / 'US Market Retreat' era (2026-02-05 on): stays 7. Restored Maine LD 2007 (signed 2026-04-06, $10,000-$100,000 per violation, Covers) and Tennessee SB 2136 (signed 2026-05-22, Yogonet) are legislative bans on the dual-currency sweepstakes model, i.e. pressure on Stake.us rather than new conduct by it: Stake.us had already exited Tennessee in Dec 2025 and complies with state orders, and the 22-state restricted list in the summary already reflects the bans. The 8-9 band (regulatory capture, consent-decree violations) and the guide's 8+ conduct (criminal pleas, major federal settlements) are not met; 7 already reflects operating unlicensed in many markets via the offshore model. D10 'Influencer Marketing Blitz' era (2022-03-03 on): stays 6. Restored Freeman amended complaint (Jan/Feb 2023, DL News) alleging a corporate structure built to dodge regulators and VPN encouragement is an unadjudicated partner-litigant allegation that corroborates the already-scored 2022 VPN-affiliate finding; no movement. Other eras contain no restored D10 facts. No summary contradicts a restored fact; all summaries, era dates and labels kept.
Checked 11 trimmed claims: 2 restored, 6 partly restored, 3 confirmed removed. RESTORED: Trainwreck 'weird s**t going on' quote (timeline add, Bigwinboard 2021-09-05) and 4-hours-per-session requirement (evidence, Inven Global 2022-02-03); Bloomberg 1,500 hours / 600+ verified wins (evidence, World Casino Directory News). PARTLY RESTORED: Freeman 'confusing corporate structure to dodge regulators' allegation (timeline add, DL News; 2022 date and no-disclosure claims stay out); Twitch ~75% viewership drop (evidence, NBC News; Twitch stated it in Aug 2023); Lazarus ~$240M in 104 days (evidence, Elliptic; figure includes Stake, editorial on security spend stays out); Idealbet followed Betfair Colombia (evidence, iGB; 'second regulated market' stays out); AB 831 Senate 36-0, liability extension, $25,000/1-year penalties (evidence, Yogonet; Assembly tally conflicts 63-0 vs 79-0 and 70+ tribes/$9B unsupported); Indiana item's Maine and Tennessee bans now enacted (timeline adds, Covers, Yogonet; Iowa SF 2289 is an enforcement law, Louisiana already present). CONFIRMED REMOVED: Watford 'first PL shirt deal paid in crypto' (only an agency case study), KYC Sept 2024 email / Level 2 (forums and affiliates only), F1 'over a billion households'.
Checked 90 items (42 timeline, 41 evidence, 4 milestones, 3 alternatives) + prose. 34 verified, 40 corrected (14 date-only), 13 re-sourced, 3 removed (anonymous Medium blog: 1 event, 2 evidence). Invented: F1 '12-17 year-olds up 49%' stat; Stake.us '45+ peak / ~33 legal / 17 restricted states' figures. Main fixes: Stake held no UK licence (TGP Europe shut the site); Stake.us complied with Illinois C&D (not 'low compliance'); Iowa SF 2289 is not a ban; Indiana signed 12 Mar 2026; Lazarus 2023 total >$200M; Easygo FY25 figures (no 1,900 staff); Bloomberg figures re-sourced; BitcoinTalk thread misdescribed; Watford 'first crypto PL deal' removed; BC.Game now Anjouan-licensed.
62→50. Since Jun 2026 (and the 12-month window from Sep 2025): Adin Ross left Stake for Rainbet and was briefly banned from Kick (Sep 2025); Stake.us exited Tennessee (Dec 2025) and was pushed to 22 restricted states; Bloomberg win-rate analysis (Feb 2026, disputed); NY minors suit (Apr 2026); Denmark and Mexico launches, Alberta registration; Everton sleeve deal and UK consultation on banning unlicensed sponsors; Virginia class action sent to arbitration (Jul 2026) while Minnesota denied it; Louisiana ban in force (Aug 2026); Nigeria declared Stake illegal in 24 states and Stake geo-blocked Ireland (Sep 2026). Dimensions: D1 7→5 (recalibration: core product intact, ~3.9 Trustpilot; erosion is KYC/withdrawal friction and market exits = 4-5 band), D2 6→4 (recalibration: old score rested on ambassador deception, which is D6; partner terms well paid with Kick pay cut and ambassador disputes = 4-5), D3 7→3 (recalibration: private, no buybacks or layoffs, workforce growing; 6-7 band requires layoffs/product sacrificed for margin), D4 4→3 (recalibration: trivial switching between many crypto casinos; VIP sunk cost only), D5 7→6 (recalibration: Bloomberg anomaly disputed and untested; opaque bonus formulas and risk reviews = 6), D7 7→6 (event: Adin Ross departure Sep 2025 and Everton demoted to sleeve Jul 2026 after F1 exit; no in-product ads), D9 5→4 (recalibration: no labor harms documented; concentrated opaque founder control). D6, D8, D10 unchanged (D10 now rests on Nigeria/Ireland/US enforcement rather than the fact-audit-corrected 'low compliance' claim). Eras: 'Pandemic-Fueled Growth' re-dated 2020-01-01→2020-03-01 (COVID streaming boom); 'Influencer Marketing Blitz' re-dated 2022-03-01→2022-03-03 (Drake deal) and now covers 2024; 'Regulatory Crosshairs' re-dated 2024-01-01→2025-01-01 (mandatory KYC) and relabeled 'KYC and UK Exit'; 'Litigation Avalanche' re-dated 2026-02-11→2025-08-28 (LA City Attorney suit); 'US Market Retreat' re-dated 2026-06-29→2026-02-05 (Illinois C&D); 'Crypto Casino Launch' kept. All eras re-scored. Trajectory worsening→stable (enforcement keeps rising but Stake is complying with orders and licensing in new markets). Alternatives: DraftKings 'higher fees' claim removed.
[Second regrade this cycle] Re-score under the new gambling guide (docs/scoring-guides/gambling-financial-speculation.md); the earlier regrade this cycle used default.md. 50→57. Since Sep 2025 (window unchanged from the first regrade): ABC published Ed Craven's 2020-24 messages with a VIP gambler, including perks moved to a 'buddy' account after self-exclusion (Dec 2025); paid clipping of Stake streamer wins (Apr 2026); plus can-you-win research. CAN-YOU-WIN: casino edges disclosed and low (1% Originals, ~98% Stake-exclusive enhanced-RTP slots) and Casino Guru rates payouts above average; but terms allow sole-discretion withdrawal holds, unexplained investigations, withholding of 'unfair' winnings and 1x deposit turnover, complaints show accounts restricted after wins, the sportsbook publishes no no-limits policy (no systematic stake factoring documented), and marketing shows house-funded ambassadors winning big. Dimensions: D2 4→6 (recalibration: guide puts house-funded streamer balances, lifetime rev-share on referred bets and partners carrying Stake's legal risk in D2), D4 3→4 (recalibration: guide's D4 lens on 1x deposit turnover, 3x Stake Cash playthrough and KYC-held withdrawals), D6 7→8 (event: ABC Dec 2025 report of CEO-hosted VIP and self-exclusion workaround, matching the guide's high band for VIP contact with self-excluded players), D7 6→7 (recalibration: guide's high band for house-funded streamer marketing and VIP cultivation, plus ABC facts), D8 5→6 (recalibration: guide treats serving unlicensed markets as a competitive strategy in D8), D9 4→5 (event: ABC report and Bloomberg show the CEO subordinating responsible gambling to VIP and ambassador relationships). D1, D3, D5, D10 unchanged. Eras: all 6 kept with dates and labels; all re-scored under the guide ('Crypto Casino Launch' 14→16, 'Pandemic-Fueled Growth' 26→35, 'Influencer Marketing Blitz' 42→51, 'KYC and UK Exit' 49→55, 'Litigation Avalanche' 50→56, 'US Market Retreat' 50→57); summaries of 'Pandemic-Fueled Growth' and 'Litigation Avalanche' revised with ABC facts. Timeline: 6 added, Bloomberg event tagged D9. Trajectory stays stable. Alternatives unchanged.
Periodic rescore: 2026 multi-state sweepstakes crackdown (Illinois C&D, Indiana/Maine/Iowa/Louisiana/Tennessee bans) drove Stake.us from 45+ to ~33 states, escalating regulatory exposure (D10 6→7); Stake's flagship F1 Sauber title sponsorship ended as Audi took over for 2026 (D7 8→7). Overall held at 62; new era 'US Market Retreat'.
Added 2 timeline events for coverage gaps (D4, D9 in 2020-2022 era)