Drake Sued over Alleged Gambling Scheme Linked to Music Streams
Rapper Drake is at the center of a major new legal battle as a federal class-action lawsuit accuses him of involvement in a gambling scheme tied to the promotion of an online casino and allegedly used to manipulate his music streaming counts. Filed in Virginia on December 31, 2025, the complaint claims that Drake and several associates collaborated with the gambling platform Stake.us in a pattern of activity that extended far beyond typical celebrity endorsements. The lawsuit, which has garnered significant media attention, raises questions about influencer marketing, gambling laws, and the integrity of streaming metrics.
The Lawsuit and Key Allegations
The federal class action, brought by plaintiffs LaShawnna Ridley and Tiffany Hines in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, alleges that Drake, online personality Adin Ross, Stake.us, and Australian national George Nguyen engaged in a coordinated campaign that allegedly promoted illegal online gambling and used proceeds to artificially boost Drake’s music streams.
According to USA Today, “the lawsuit, filed Dec. 31 and reviewed by USA TODAY, claims the men used the website Stake.us to ‘obscure transmissions of money’ to advance ‘their ongoing music botting campaigns.'” The defendants used Stake.us’s internal “tipping” and money transfer features to covertly move funds among themselves. That money was then allegedly used to finance so-called “botting” activities and “amplification campaigns” designed to inflate the play counts of Drake’s songs on major platforms like Spotify. The plaintiffs describe these actions as part of a broader gambling scheme that distorted both consumer perceptions and streaming data.
The article goes on to state that, “the rapper, whose feud with fellow musician Kendrick Lamar continues to reverberate in pop culture, was ‘at the heart of the scheme,’ lawyers for the plaintiffs say that Drake ‘deployed automated bots and streaming farms to artificially inflate play counts of his music across major platforms, such as Spotify.'”
Alleged Promotion of Illegal Gambling
Central to the lawsuit is the contention that Stake.us, which markets itself as a “social casino,” has operated in U.S. states where real-money online gambling is banned by bundling virtual currency purchases with casino tokens that can be converted to cash. The plaintiffs contend that Drake’s paid promotion of the platform — including livestreamed gambling sessions and giveaways — helped lure users into wagering real money.
The complaint emphasizes that while Stake.us publicly claims it does not offer “real money gambling,” its dual-currency structure effectively allows players to convert “Stake Cash” into spendable value. It alleges that Drake and Ross were paid “zealous” promoters who helped obscure these mechanics, presenting the platform as safe while downplaying potential financial risk to users. This is not the first legal challenge involving Drake and Stake. A separate class action filed in Missouri last year similarly accused the rapper and Ross of promoting illegal gambling and misleading users about the nature of Stake’s operations.
Legal Theories and Damages
The Virginia suit brings claims under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act as well as the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. According to an article from Pitchfork, plaintiffs are seeking at least $5 million in damages, civil penalties, and an injunction to halt the alleged unlawful conduct. Under RICO, the plaintiffs must demonstrate a pattern of racketeering activity tied to the defendants’ business operations. Here, the lawsuit portrays the gambling scheme and the alleged stream-inflation activity as interconnected enterprises designed to enrich the participants while harming both consumers and other artists.
Responses and Broader Industry Implications
As of publication, neither Drake nor representatives for Stake.us have issued a public comment responding to the lawsuit’s claims. Legal experts note that such high-profile cases involving allegations of gambling promotion and algorithm manipulation could prompt broader industry scrutiny. The controversy also highlights ongoing concerns about the influence of celebrity endorsements in the digital age. In an era where social media reach can significantly impact consumer behavior, the case underscores the legal and ethical responsibilities that come with high-visibility partnerships.
What’s Next
The lawsuit is still in its early stages, and the allegations have not been tested in court. If the case proceeds, it may involve extensive discovery into financial transactions, internal communications, and the technical mechanisms behind online streaming metrics. The outcome could have ramifications not only for Drake and Stake.us but also for how influencers and entertainers engage with emerging online platforms. For now, the case remains a developing legal drama that intersects pop culture, technology, gambling law, and the business of music — with potentially far-reaching consequences for several industries.
