Chavdar Vasilev is a journalist covering the casino and sports betting market sectors for CasinoBeats. He joined CasinoBeats in May 2025 and reports on industry-shaping stories across the US and beyond, including legislative debates, market...
Read Full BioA Missouri man is suing sweepstakes casino Stake.us, along with rapper Drake and influencer Adin Ross, alleging they promote an illegal online casino disguised as a “social casino,” misleading US consumers about real-money gambling.
The 34-page complaint, filed on Oct. 27 in Jackson County Circuit Court, accuses the defendants of engaging in “deceptive, fraudulent and unfair” practices that violate Missouri law.
Plaintiff Alleges Stake.us is an Illegal Casino
According to the filing, plaintiff Justin Killham of Independence, Missouri, “lost money gambling in Defendants’ online casino as a result of Defendants’ wrongful trade practices.”
The complaint states:
“Defendant Sweepsteaks Limited operates the world’s most popular and profitable online casino, Stake.com.”
“To evade these restrictions, Sweepsteaks Limited created Stake.us … a virtual clone of Stake.com, rebranded to mislead Missouri regulators and consumers into believing it offers harmless gameplay instead of an unlawful gambling platform.”
The complaint alleges that Stake.us functions as a full casino through its “Stake Cash” virtual currency, which “can be wagered on casino games and cashed out for real money at a fixed 1:1 ratio to the U.S. Dollar.” That exposes the currency as a “clear vehicle for real-money gambling.”
The plaintiff argues that Stake’s dual-currency system hides real-money gambling behind “a superficial disguise of social gaming.”
The dual-currency model has faced growing scrutiny nationwide, with California being the latest to outlaw it earlier this month.
Drake & Ross Named as Co-Defendants
Drake and Ross, both longtime partners and promoters of Stake.com, are key figures in the case. The complaint alleges:
“Stake in particular pays online influencer-Defendants Adin Ross (‘Ross’) and Aubrey Drake Graham (‘Drake’) each millions of dollars yearly to engage in promotional ‘livestream’ online casino gambling with Stake.com.”
“When Ross and Drake purport to gamble online with Stake.com, they often do not do so with their own money despite telling the public … the opposite.”
“These acts are deceptive, fraudulent, and unfair and violate Missouri law.”
The filing claims that Drake and Ross helped drive Missouri users to Stake.us by broadcasting large-scale wagers and jackpots through livestreams and social media posts.
According to the lawsuit, the influencers’ content glamorizes the platform to millions of fans. At the same time, they conceal that the funds used are often “house money” provided by Stake.
The lawsuit adds that “Stake’s influencer marketing, especially through Drake and Ross, is directed, among others, at teenagers in Missouri and in other states.”
The ‘Drake Effect’ and Year of Public Fallout
The lawsuit lands amid a turbulent year for Drake’s relationship with Stake.
In August, he publicly accused the company’s owners of repeatedly blocking his withdrawal of funds, later calling out Stake’s leadership on social media. Drake also closed his Kick account, the streaming platform owned by Stake’s Ed Craven and Bijan Tehrani.
Despite the feud, the rapper was still seen wagering $300,000 on Jannik Sinner during the US Open in September, just a few weeks after the public fallout.
The large bet is nothing new. In June, Drake revealed he had lost $8 million in a single month gambling at Stake. The post reignited the controversy over celebrity betting endorsements.
It also reignited debates on whether the rapper uses his own money, a point also highlighted in the Missouri lawsuit. Rumors suggest that his partnership with the platform is worth a nine-figure sum.
Missouri Lawsuit Expands Nationwide Scrutiny
The Missouri case is the latest in a string of legal actions against Stake.us. In August, the Los Angeles City Attorney filed a civil enforcement lawsuit targeting Stake, Kick, and some suppliers, including Evolution.
The lawsuit alleged that the companies were operating unlicensed sweepstakes casinos accessible to Californians. Soon after, Evolution, Pragmatic Play, and other suppliers withdrew their content from Stake in California.
Stake.us has also faced a federal lawsuit in Alabama and one in Illinois. Meanwhile, an earlier case in California was sent to arbitration in June.
Each claims the platform’s “social casino” model functions as illegal online gambling by using redeemable tokens.
Legal Claims & Requested Relief
The Missouri lawsuit seeks class certification under the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act. It alleges that Stake and its celebrity promoters misrepresented the platform’s legality and nature.
It also demands recovery of gambling losses under R.S.Mo. §434.030. The statute allows players to reclaim losses from illegal games, and accuses defendants of unjust enrichment.
Plaintiffs are asking for damages, restitution, and an injunction to halt Stake’s operations in Missouri.
