Rap superstar Drake and popular video game streamer Adin Ross are facing a class action lawsuit for allegedly promoting an online sweepstakes casino and using the earned proceeds to “create fraudulent streams of Drake’s music.”
In documents filed December 31 in Virginia’s federal court and reviewed by multiple outlets, residents LaShawnna Ridley and Tiffany Hines have accused Drake, Ross, and an Australian Native by the name of George Nyugen of partnering with the website Stake.us to “prey upon consumers” and expose them to “substantial risks of gambling addiction.”
Stake.us is a sweepstakes casino launched in 2022 after sportsbook and online casino Stake.com was banned from operating everywhere in the U.S. It allows users to wager virtual currency, known as Stake Cash and Gold Coins, rather than real money. While Stake.us. has been banned in several states, including California, Montana, Idaho, Washington, New Jersey and Connecticut, it continues to operate legally in Virginia.
The two plaintiffs claimed they were “influenced to participate” in Stake’s “predatorial gambling environment” after seeing Drake advertising the site.
“Plaintiffs have been damaged by the false marketing manipulation and abuses of defendants Drake, Ross, and Nguyen, who participate in the marketing of Stake,” the complaint read. “Through these and other promotions, Stake has bombarded consumers with advertisements appearing on social media platforms, depicting its games as safe, legal, and fun.
“But these casino games are illegal in Virginia and throughout the United States, and have inflicted harm on consumers across the Commonwealth who have lost real money chasing gambling wins on the Stake platform,” it added.
A representative for Drake declined to comment, and a representative for Nyugen could not be reached. The Independent has contacted Ross’s representative for comment.
The filing goes on to allege that the three then used the money made from Stake.us to “create fraudulent streams of Drake’s music; fabricate popularity; disparage competitors and music label executives; distort recommendation algorithms; and distribute financing for all of the foregoing, while concealing the flow of funds.”
It claimed that public posts, chat logs, and leaked communications show proof of Nguyen’s “direct handling of funds through multiple payment platforms, orchestration of narrative surges, and amplification” in collaboration with Drake and Ross.
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“At the heart of the scheme, Drake — acting directly and through willing and knowledgeable co-conspirators — has deployed automated bots and streaming farms to artificially inflate play counts of his music across major platforms, such as Spotify,” it said, echoing similar claims made in a recent lawsuit against Spotify by rapper RBX.
“This manipulation has suppressed authentic artists and narrowed consumers’ access to legitimate content by undermining the integrity of curated experiences.”
The lawsuit is seeking to represent other Virginia residents who lost one or more wagers using Stake Cash within the last three years. The plaintiffs are demanding a jury trial and damages.