Canadian rapper Drake has been sued for his promotion of gambling on Stake.com, with a lawsuit filed on Monday (27 October) suggesting the musician’s role as “unofficial mascot” for the crypto platform is “quietly corrosive”.

The 34-page suit, filed in federal court in Missouri, where online gambling is illegal, also names influencer Adin Ross and Stake.com’s parent company, Sweepsteaks Limited, as defendants.

The lawsuit alleges that Stake.us was created as a disguised version of Stake.com to circumvent the state’s gambling rules.

It points out that both websites feature many of the same casino titles as well as “identical color schemes, graphics, logos, visual themes and have virtually indistinguishable user interfaces”.

Plaintiff Justin Killham also accuses the defendants of “unjust enrichment” by misleading the public about using their own money to gamble on the platform and then taking a cut of Stake’s profits.

The filing refers to public reporting about Drake’s, legally named as Aubrey Graham in the lawsuit filing, gambling on Stake.com, citing a story that alleged the musician had been “playing with Stake’s house money” during an $8m loss.

It adds: “These acts are deceptive, fraudulent and unfair and violate Missouri law.”

The document highlights the potential vulnerability of Drake’s audience. It says: “Drake’s role as Stake’s unofficial mascot is quietly corrosive – he’s glamorizing the platform to millions of impressionable fans, many of whom treat his wild betting habits like gospel.”

The rapper has acted as an ambassador for Stake since early 2022 when he confirmed the partnership in an Instagram post.

Killham has brought the suit as a Class Action representative, on behalf of “all persons in Missouri who gambled and lost money in Stake’s online casino at any time during the five (5) years preceding the filing of this action”.

Stake has now been sued in seven states this year, for allegedly offering illegal gambling, with Missouri following California, Illinois, Alabama, Massachusetts, South Carolina and Minnesota.

The defendants have not yet responded to the allegations.

The post Class action suit filed against rapper Drake for gambling promotion on Stake.com first appeared on EGR Intel.