Global music star Drake, popular streamer Adin Ross and online gambling platform Stake.us are at the centre of a new federal class-action lawsuit filed in the United States, alleging deceptive online gambling practices and consumer exploitation. The case, filed in Virginia, claims the defendants worked together to “prey upon consumers” while using gambling proceeds to artificially boost online popularity and streaming numbers.
According to the lawsuit, filed by plaintiffs LaShawnna Ridley and Tiffany Hines, the defendants allegedly acted as paid promoters for Stake.us, a so-called “social casino” platform. The complaint accuses them of funnelling funds through Stake’s user-to-user tipping system, which the plaintiffs describe as an unregulated financial channel. These funds were allegedly redistributed among the defendants and then used to finance artificial online amplification, including bots and streaming farms.
The suit names Drake, Adin Ross and an Australian man identified as George Nguyen, who is accused of directly managing funds across multiple payment platforms. The complaint alleges Nguyen coordinated narrative surges and amplification campaigns that inflated streaming figures, including play counts for Drake’s music catalogue. The plaintiffs argue that this activity undermined the integrity of streaming metrics while exposing ordinary users to financial harm.
At the heart of the case are claims that the alleged scheme encouraged users to gamble on Stake.us under misleading conditions. The plaintiffs are seeking to represent Virginia-based users who lost money on the platform over the past three years. Legal claims have been brought under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act as well as federal racketeering laws, commonly referred to as RICO statutes. The lawsuit argues that the alleged conduct caused direct financial losses to consumers and distorted fair competition in digital entertainment spaces.
The Virginia lawsuit follows similar legal action filed last year. In October, a Missouri plaintiff lodged a comparable class-action case accusing the same defendants of deceptive gambling practices. That case has since been transferred to federal court. The latest filing claims the alleged activities date back to 2022 and are still ongoing, suggesting a sustained and organised operation rather than isolated incidents.
The complaint further alleges that public social media posts, chat logs and leaked communications provide evidence of coordinated financial transfers and promotional strategies. These materials, according to the plaintiffs, show how gambling funds were allegedly recycled into online influence campaigns designed to create artificial popularity and engagement.
The case also feeds into wider scrutiny of “social casino” models used by platforms such as Stake.us. These systems typically combine non-redeemable virtual coins with redeemable tokens, a structure critics argue can blur the line between gaming and real-money gambling. Lawmakers and regulators in the United States have increasingly raised concerns that such models exploit legal loopholes while exposing users to genuine financial risk.
At the time of publication, none of the named defendants have commented publicly on the Virginia lawsuit. A representative for Drake declined to comment when approached by reporters, while Stake and the other defendants have not issued formal responses. The litigation remains ongoing, with the plaintiffs asking the court to certify the class and allow the case to proceed toward potential damages.
As the case unfolds, it is likely to intensify debates around influencer marketing, online gambling regulation and the reliability of digital popularity metrics in an era where money, algorithms and entertainment increasingly intersect.
