Drake and crypto playing collided in Missouri this week because the rapper and Adin Ross have been hit with a category motion lawsuit accusing them of selling unlawful on-line betting via their high-profile take care of Stake.
Filed in Jackson County’s sixteenth Circuit Court docket, the lawsuit claims the duo’s partnership with the crypto on line casino is “deeply fraudulent” and dangerous to the general public, particularly minors.
Lead plaintiff Justin Killham alleges that Drake and Ross obtained thousands and thousands to livestream playing classes that glamorized the platform to large audiences throughout Instagram and X.
“Drake’s position as Stake’s unofficial mascot is quietly corrosive—he’s glamorizing the platform to thousands and thousands of impressionable followers, lots of whom deal with his wild betting habits like gospel,” the lawsuit reads.
Court docket paperwork peg Drake’s annual Stake endorsement at $100 million, making it one of the crucial profitable movie star playing offers within the business.
The go well with alleges that Stake gives “home cash” to each Drake and Ross, which means their losses are coated and used as a advertising and marketing ploy to lure in additional customers.
The authorized submitting additionally claims the pair’s content material is aimed toward youthful viewers, and that Ross and Drake’s mixed social media following exceeds 180 million.
“Stake’s influencer advertising and marketing actions, particularly via Drake and Ross, is directed amongst youngsters in Missouri and in different states,” the go well with states.
Drake’s betting habits have drawn consideration all through 2025. In June, he disclosed putting practically $125 million in sports activities bets, together with a viral $8 million loss tied to NBA wagers. These bets coincided together with his Stake campaigns and have been broadly shared throughout social platforms.
The lawsuit drops because the NBA grapples with a rising playing scandal.
Simply two days into the brand new season, federal prosecutors revealed an investigation into unlawful bets positioned on seven NBA video games between 2023 and 2024. Authorities allege that insiders leaked info to bettors, elevating considerations in regards to the league’s integrity.
The controversy additionally lands amid booming progress in U.S. sports activities betting. Because the Supreme Court docket overturned the federal ban in 2018, the business has surged.
In keeping with the American Gaming Affiliation, the authorized sports activities betting deal with hit $119.84 billion in 2023, up 27.5% from the earlier 12 months. By 2025, 38 states and Washington, D.C. could have legalized some type of sports activities wagering.
Missouri, nevertheless, nonetheless bans on-line on line casino playing. Authorized on-line sports activities betting is scheduled to go reside within the state on December 1, following the Missouri Gaming Fee’s current approval of momentary licenses for 9 operators.
