Drake Sued Over Ties To Online Casino, Accused Of Paying For Inflated Streams

2026 is not off to a superb begin for rapper Drake. Along with coping with the aftermath of Kendrick Lamar’s viral diss observe “Not Like Us,” Drake is now dealing with authorized woes, as he is been named in a federal lawsuit and accused of persuading customers to gamble with actual cash on the net on line casino platform Stake. As well as, the explosive lawsuit filed in Virginia additionally claims that the rapper used the on line casino’s on-line tipping function to ship giant sums of cash to “artificially inflate streaming counts” for his music.

Drake followers could not even get a full day into 2026 with out being dealt some somber information. In accordance with a number of sources, together with Complex and Rolling Stone, Drake and the favored streamer Adin Ross are being sued for selling the net on line casino Stake. For these unfamiliar, Stake is an internet platform that reportedly doesn’t provide real-money playing. Nevertheless, the lawsuit filed by LaShawnna Ridley and Tiffany Hines alleges in any other case.

Drake, Ross, and a 3rd man are accused of preying upon customers and unlawfully exposing them to the “substantial dangers of playing habit.” Additional, the 2 ladies declare they have been “influenced to take part” within the firm’s “predatorial playing setting” after seeing Drake’s paid promotion, which included social media posts, giveaways, and livestreamed playing periods.

Drake and Ross are listed as “zealous” and “paid” promoters of the Stake platform, which Ridley and Hines declare “masks the true nature and extent of their conduct.”

“The 2 have engaged in livestreamed playing, wagering giant sums of cash that was offered surreptitiously by Stake,” the lawsuit learn. “In different phrases, although Drake and Ross presupposed to be playing with their very own Stake Money, it was in reality offered to them by the home.”

Up to now, Drake has made headlines over his hefty six-figure wagers on the Stake platform. Most just lately, he bet $200,000 on Jake Paul to win his December 19 struggle in opposition to heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.

The claims above aren’t the one stunning components of the explosive lawsuit. Along with being accused of performing as paid promoters of the Stake platform, the paperwork declare Drake and Ross used the platform’s “tipping” system to maneuver six-figure quantities between the boys to fund “synthetic streaming to create fraudulent streams of Drake’s music.”

In accordance with the lawsuit, paying for fraudulent streams was an effort to “fabricate reputation; disparage rivals and music label executives; distort suggestion algorithms; and distribute financing for the entire foregoing, whereas concealing the circulate of funds.”

The go well with additionally claims that Drake’s alleged participation in inflating his streams with fraudulent numbers solely hurts different artists within the business. “This manipulation has suppressed genuine artists and narrowed customers’ entry to reputable content material by undermining the integrity of curated experiences,” the paperwork learn.

Drake has been open about his love for the playing platform, which is not stunning, as he reportedly signed a $100 million-a-year deal in 2023 to advertise the corporate on-line.

After information of the lawsuit turned public, social media customers shared surprised reactions, with one consumer writing, “Drake being hit with a RICO and it being introduced on the primary day of 2026 is simply wow.” One other consumer joked that Drake would quickly be heading to “cell block one,” a reference to a lyric from Lamar’s hit “Not Like Us.”

Different customers got here to the rapper’s protection, nonetheless, with one saying the lawsuit is being introduced by two ladies who have been unable to carry themselves accountable. “Even an individual with low IQ is aware of that on-line playing requires actual cash,” they wrote. One other added, “Think about suing as a result of you may’t stand that you simply misplaced your bread.”