Drake and Adrin Ross Sued Again Over Stake

A new class-action lawsuit filed in Virginia has pulled high-profile gambling promotions back into the spotlight, accusing Drake, Adin Ross, and an Australian-based third party of luring consumers into real-money gambling on Stake.us through what plaintiffs describe as a coordinated racketeering scheme.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court by Virginia residents LaShawnna Ridley and Tiffany Hines, claims the defendants worked alongside Stake to aggressively promote gambling in a way that exposed users to “substantial risks of gambling addiction” while placing their financial wellbeing at risk. According to the filing, the plaintiffs were influenced to join and wager on Stake.us after viewing paid gambling promotions, live-streamed sessions, and giveaways tied to Drake and Ross.

Illegal Money Transfers, as Well as Gambling

At the centre of the complaint is an interesting allegation that could give it some credence. The allegation is that Stake’s platform was used not just for gambling promotion, but as an informal money-transfer mechanism. The lawsuit claims the defendants used Stake’s user-to-user “tipping” feature to move funds between accounts, describing the system as an “unlimited and wholly unregulated money transmitter” operating outside traditional financial oversight.

The third defendant, identified as Australian national George Nguyen, is described as an operational facilitator who allegedly received cryptocurrency through Stake-related channels and coordinated amplification campaigns across social platforms. The complaint alleges these funds were later used to support artificial engagement campaigns, including inflated streaming activity tied to Drake’s music catalogue.

While the lawsuit makes broad claims about downstream effects on the music industry, its core allegations remain firmly rooted in gambling promotion and consumer harm. The plaintiffs argue they were drawn into what they describe as a “predatory gambling environment” through celebrity-backed marketing, without clear disclosure of the risks or the commercial relationships involved.

The case seeks to represent Virginia residents who lost one or more wagers using Stake Cash over the past three years. It alleges violations of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act, as well as racketeering activity under the federal RICO statute. If allowed to proceed as a class action, the case could widen significantly in scope.

Cases Mounting Up

This is not the first legal challenge linked to Stake’s celebrity marketing strategy. A similar proposed class action was filed in Missouri last year against Drake, Ross, and Stake’s parent company, Sweepsteaks Limited, though that case was later moved to federal court.

Stake, Drake, Ross, and Nguyen have not commented publicly on the new filing. A representative for Drake declined to comment, while Stake has not issued a response at the time of writing.

For regulators and lawmakers already scrutinising influencer-led gambling promotion, the lawsuit adds fresh pressure at a time when several US states are actively reassessing how sweepstakes-style casino platforms operate, market themselves, and move money behind the scenes.