Drake accused of using gambling platform to increase streams of his music

Canadian rapper Drake has been named in a proposed federal class-action lawsuit in the United States that accuses him and others of using an online gambling platform to obscure money transfers and artificially inflate music streaming numbers. The complaint alleges violations of federal racketeering laws, including the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, along with state consumer protection statutes.

The lawsuit centres on Stake.us, the US-facing version of the Curacao-based online casino operator Stake, which Drake has frequently promoted on social media and during livestreamed gambling sessions. Although Stake.us is marketed as a “social casino” that does not involve real-money gambling, the plaintiffs argue that its structure effectively allows real wagering through a system of virtual credits that can later be redeemed for cryptocurrency or digital gift cards. According to the filing, this model was designed to bypass US gambling restrictions imposed after Stake.com was barred from operating in the country.

The statement of claim alleges that Drake, whose real name is Aubrey Graham , was a central figure in the scheme and worked alongside social media influencer Adin Ross and Australian national George Nguyen . The plaintiffs claim the trio were paid promoters who were provided with “house money” by Stake to gamble publicly, without disclosing that the funds were not their own. This, the lawsuit argues, created a misleading impression of high-risk gambling and encouraged users to participate on the platform.

Filed on December 31, 2025, in a Virginia court , the lawsuit was brought on behalf of LaShawnna Ridley and Tiffany Hines and seeks class-action status on behalf of all users of Stake.us. The plaintiffs are demanding a jury trial and are seeking at least USD 5 million in damages, along with legal fees and potential punitive damages. Nguyen is named as an additional defendant, with the complaint alleging he acted as a facilitator and operational broker.

Beyond gambling-related claims, the lawsuit also alleges that funds transferred through Stake.us ’s internal tipping and transfer functions were used to manipulate streaming platforms such as Spotify. According to the documents, the defendants allegedly coordinated fraudulent streaming activity to inflate play counts for Drake’s music, distort curated playlists and interfere with royalty calculations and recommendation algorithms. The suit claims these actions fabricated popularity, misled listeners and suppressed genuine artists by undermining the integrity of streaming platforms.

The plaintiffs further argue that the promotional practices surrounding Stake.us exposed users to financial harm and the risk of gambling addiction, while misrepresenting the legality and nature of the platform. They allege that the conduct harmed consumers and violated multiple state and federal laws designed to protect users from deceptive practices.

None of the allegations have been proven in court. Representatives for Drake, Stake, Ross and Nguyen did not immediately respond to requests for comment at the time of reporting.