Drake, Adin Ross, and Stake.us are being sued in a federal class action lawsuit

A new lawsuit alleges that the platform operated as illegal gambling under the guise of a “social casino.”

The lawsuit involving Drake, Adin Ross, and Stake.us claims that the platform functioned as an unlawful online casino, with significant celebrity endorsements targeting U.S. users.

On December 31, 2025, a lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia by two plaintiffs who claim they were deceived into wagering real money on Stake.us, believing that the platform was legal. The case involves Sweepsteaks Ltd., doing business as Stake.us, with defendants Drake, Adin Ross, and George Nguyen.

The complaint states that Stake.us presented itself as a “social casino” in order to circumvent U.S. gambling regulations, asserting that users were merely engaging with virtual currency. The plaintiffs contend that the site operated as a comprehensive online casino, enabling users to place bets, win, and withdraw funds in manners they assert clearly constitute real-money gambling.

The lawsuit alleges that Drake and Ross were not merely casual promoters of the platform. It claims they significantly contributed to enhancing traffic and credibility for Stake.us by utilizing livestreams, social media, and public gambling events, which portrayed the site as safe, legal, and appealing to its audience. The plaintiffs argue that visibility led ordinary users to take risks with money they could not afford to lose.

One of the more striking allegations in the filing asserts that Stake.us was utilized to conceal money transfers, including the routing of funds through internal features that complicated the tracking of their destination. The complaint extends to alleging that those systems were utilized to assist in funding streaming and music manipulation efforts, although these claims have yet to be examined in court.

The plaintiffs are pursuing a minimum of $5 million in damages, in addition to court orders aimed at halting the platform’s current operations and imposing civil penalties on all defendants implicated. They contend that the case extends beyond mere financial losses; it encompasses consumer protection and the need to prevent celebrities from endorsing platforms that purportedly exploit legal gray areas.

This lawsuit emerges amid an increasing effort to regulate online gambling platforms that obscure the distinction between social gaming and actual betting, particularly in cases involving celebrities and influencers. Regulators and courts have raised concerns about whether these models disproportionately affect younger audiences and vulnerable users.

Currently, neither Drake nor Ross has made a public statement regarding the lawsuit, and there has been no court ruling on the claims as of yet. However, the case introduces an additional dimension to the ongoing discussion regarding celebrity accountability, influencer marketing, and the limits of platforms before “social casino” transforms into something entirely different.

With the progression of the Drake Adin Ross Stake.us lawsuit, this case has the potential to establish a significant precedent regarding the regulation of celebrity gambling promotions.