Drake named in RICO lawsuit alleging illegal gambling promotion and streaming manipulation

Virginia civil lawsuit claims Drake, Adin Ross, and Stake.us used gambling promotions and bots to inflate metrics

A newly filed civil lawsuit in Virginia alleges that rapper Drake, streamer Adin Ross, and online gambling platform Stake.us violated the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act by operating illegal gambling activities and engaging in deceptive advertising practices.

According to HotNewHipHop, the complaint claims that Stake.us, the U.S.-based arm of international gambling site Stake.com, unlawfully operates as an online casino while presenting itself as a “social casino” to bypass American gambling regulations. Plaintiffs argue that Stake.us allows users to convert virtual currency into cryptocurrency or digital gift cards, effectively enabling real-money gambling without regulatory oversight.

Drake is not accused of directly operating Stake.us, but court filings allege that he earned approximately $100 million annually through promotional agreements with the platform. The lawsuit further claims that Drake used Stake’s internal systems to obtain gambling funds and facilitate transfers allegedly tied to artificial streaming activity intended to inflate his music performance metrics.

The complaint also names Adin Ross, alleging that he collaborated with Drake by hosting high-profile gambling livestreams on Stake.us that normalized online betting for younger audiences. Plaintiffs assert that large, opaque financial transfers occurred between Ross and Drake through Stake’s tipping feature, which they claim was used to fund bot-driven streaming farms and digital amplification services.

According to the lawsuit, Stake.us’s tipping system is central to the allegations, as it allegedly allowed substantial monetary transfers without standard financial scrutiny. The filing also references claims that George Nguyen profited by operating bot networks and streaming farms to artificially increase Drake’s music streams on platforms such as Spotify.

Plaintiffs are seeking class-action certification and a minimum of $5 million in damages. Under RICO statutes, damages could potentially be tripled. The lawsuit additionally calls for Stake.us to cease U.S. operations and issue refunds to affected users.

The Guardian reports that Drake has frequently promoted Stake on Instagram and the livestreaming platform Kick, which is owned by Easygo. In one social media post, Drake stated he lost $8.2 million after wagering $124.5 million over a one-month period. The lawsuit alleges that Stake paid Drake $100 million annually and provided both Drake and Ross with gambling credits.

Ross reportedly ended his partnership with Stake in 2025 but continues to stream on Kick. Easygo co-founder Ed Craven, whose company owns Kick and Stake’s Australian parent entity, declined to comment on the lawsuit, though he has previously defended the company in other legal proceedings.

Stake and its affiliates have faced similar lawsuits in multiple U.S. states. Stake co-founder Bijan Tehrani expressed confidence in the company’s legal position in response to the latest filing. Meanwhile, rapper DDG publicly voiced support for Drake, Ross, and Stake as the case gained attention.

The lawsuit marks a significant development in ongoing legal disputes surrounding celebrity endorsements of online gambling platforms and allegations of manipulated digital music streaming metrics.