- Drake, Adin Ross, and Stake.us face a Missouri lawsuit for allegedly promoting illegal gambling disguised as social gaming.
- The lawsuit claims Drake used company-provided funds to mislead his 142 million followers about his gambling sessions.
- Missouri residents seek damages and want Stake.us shut down before regulated betting sites launch in December 2025.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Drake is facing a class action lawsuit filed in Jackson County Circuit Court, accused of using deceptive practices to promote the online platform Stake.us to Missouri residents.
The lawsuit, filed Monday by Independence resident Justin Killham, names Drake alongside livestreamer Adin Ross and Sweepsteaks Limited, the company that operates Stake.us.
Killham says he lost money on the platform because of what the suit describes as misleading marketing tactics designed to get around state gambling laws. The complaint accuses Drake of making gambling look glamorous to his 142 million Instagram followers using what the suit calls "house money" provided by Stake rather than his own funds.
Industry experts have called this practice insidious, with Drake's influence creating what has been called the "Drake Effect," a massive boost in Stake's popularity, especially among younger audiences.
Key Allegations and Dual-Currency System
The case focuses on Stake.us's dual-currency system, which bundles purchasable "gold coins" with "Stake Cash" that can be bet and cashed out for real money at a 1:1 ratio to the U.S. dollar. This model reportedly gets around Missouri blackjack laws by disguising real-money gambling as a social gaming platform.
The lawsuit's main claims include:
- Drake misrepresented whose money he was actually gambling with during promotional content
- His marketing targeted vulnerable groups, including teenagers
- His posts presented gambling sessions as real experiences while using company-provided funds
Missouri's Gaming Commission has warned residents about illegal gaming sites, and the sportsbooks in Missouri aren't scheduled to launch until December 2025.
Those looking for legal blackjack should use one of the recommended sites to do so, as even their regulated sports betting market won’t come with casinos.
The lawsuit seeks damages for Missouri residents who lost money on Stake.us and aims to shut down the platform's operations in the state. Drake has already posted twice this week promoting Stake, including a video showing a $1 million account balance.