Stake (online casino)

In 2016, Ed Craven and Bijan Tehrani established Easygo, a company that developed games for online casinos. The two co-created Stake, which was launched in 2017. In December 2021, Stake expanded to the United Kingdom (UK) through a partnership with TGP Europe.{{Cite web |last=Orme-Claye |first=Ted |date=17 December 2021 |title=Stake.com commences UK sports betting and casino operations |url=https://sbcnews.co.uk/sportsbook/2021/12/17/stake-com-commences-uk-sports-betting-and-casino-operations/ |access-date=25 April 2022 |website=SBC News |language=en-US}}

On 1 August 2022, Stake.us was launched as a separate site for U.S. residents.{{Cite news |last=Carry |first=Owen |date=2024-11-14 |title=Why This Crypto Casino Wants to Steal Your Best Memes |url=https://slate.com/technology/2024/11/stake-crypto-casino-x-twitter-stealing-memes.html |access-date=2024-11-29 |work=Slate |language=en-US |issn=1091-2339}}{{Cite web |last=Chaser |first=Bitcoin |date=2 August 2022 |title=Stake.us Casino Officially Launched For US Players |url=https://bitcoinchaser.com/stake-officially-launched-for-usa-players/ |access-date=22 January 2024 |website=BitcoinChaser |language=en-US}} In June 2023, a federal judge in Manhattan dismissed a $580 million lawsuit against Stake due to jurisdictional issues. The plaintiff, Christopher Freeman, an early associate of Craven and Tehrani, claimed that he had been excluded from the business and mislead using illegal tactics.{{Cite web |last=Danckert |first=Sarah |date=27 June 2023 |title=Australian-based Stake.com founders dodge $580 million claim |url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/australian-based-stake-com-founders-dodge-580-million-claim-20230627-p5djri.html |access-date=5 September 2023 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}{{Cite news |last1=Davies |first1=Rob |last2=Rosca |first2=Matei |date=3 September 2022 |title=Crypto gambling site that sponsors Everton FC hit with $400m lawsuit |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/sep/03/crypto-gambling-site-that-sponsors-everton-fc-hit-with-400m-lawsuit |access-date=5 September 2023 |issn=0261-3077}} On 4 September, 2023, over {{USD|41 million}} was stolen from one of Stake's Ethereum wallets in a hacking incident.{{Cite web |last=Mason |first=Max |date=5 September 2023 |title=More than $60m stolen from Young Rich Lister's crypto casino |url=https://www.afr.com/technology/more-than-60m-stolen-from-young-rich-lister-s-crypto-casino-20230905-p5e22q |url-access=subscription |access-date=5 September 2023 |website=Australian Financial Review |language=en}} The Federal Bureau of Investigation attributed the attack to North Korea's Lazarus Group.{{Cite web |last=Mason |first=Max |date=8 September 2023 |title=North Korea behind $60m heist from Young Rich Lister's crypto casino |url=https://www.afr.com/technology/north-korea-behind-60m-heist-from-young-rich-lister-s-crypto-casino-20230908-p5e31p |url-access=subscription |access-date=9 September 2023 |website=Australian Financial Review |language=en}}

In February 2025, Stake announced that the company was giving up its UK gambling licence after complaints that a social media advertisement featuring porn actress Bonnie Blue and the company's logo was using sexual content to attract young customers. The company's UK business closed on 11 March.{{cite news |title=Everton's sponsor leaves GB amid porn ad probe |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg5y9ggqpqdo |access-date=12 February 2025 |work=BBC News |date=12 February 2025}}

Stake offers traditional casino games (such as slots, blackjack and roulette) and sports betting.{{Cite web |last=Danckert |first=Sarah |date=17 March 2022 |title=Australian casino donates to Ukraine but questions remain over Russian gamblers |url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/australian-casino-donates-to-ukraine-but-questions-remain-over-russian-gamblers-20220307-p5a2fy.html |access-date=25 April 2022 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}} It offers video streams with live dealers.

Users at Stake generally transact in cryptocurrencies rather than traditional currencies for their betting accounts. Account balances can be withdrawn in the equivalent value of cryptocurrency and then deposited back into the user's personal cryptocurrency wallet. Users of Stake's UK site deal only in fiat currency.

File:Bottas & Zhou on the grid - Sprint race, Chinese GP 2024.jpg and Valtteri Bottas in their Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber cars at the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix.]]

Stake has had sponsorship deals with various musicians,{{Cite web |date=3 March 2022 |title=Drake to host exclusive live streams on Stake.com |url=https://sbcnews.co.uk/latestnews/2022/03/03/drake-to-host-exclusive-live-streams-on-stake-com/ |access-date=4 May 2022 |website=SBC News |language=en-US}} sportspeople,{{Cite web |last=Sale |first=Jessie |date=1 February 2022 |title=Stake.com signs Sergio Aguero to boost global brand visibility |url=https://sbcnews.co.uk/marketing/2022/02/01/stake-com-signs-sergio-aguero-to-boost-global-brand-visibility/ |access-date=27 April 2022 |website=SBC News |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Fletcher |first=Robert |date=15 March 2022 |title=Stake.com links up with motorsports' Fittipaldi brothers |url=https://igamingbusiness.com/stake-com-links-up-with-motorsports-fittipaldi-brothers/ |access-date=27 April 2022 |website=iGaming Business |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Orme-Claye |first=Ted |date=20 January 2021 |title=The UFC's middleweight king combines with Stake.com |url=https://insidersport.com/2021/01/20/the-ufcs-middleweight-king-combines-with-stake-com/ |access-date=27 April 2022 |website=Insider Sport |language=en-US}} teams,{{Cite web |last=Hunt |first=Holly |date=22 July 2021 |title=Watford inks 'club-record' principal partnership with Stake.com |url=https://insidersport.com/2021/07/22/watford-inks-club-record-principal-partnership-with-stake-com/ |access-date=27 April 2022 |website=Insider Sport |language=en-US}}{{cite web |last1=Thomas |first1=Joe |title=Everton new shirt sponsor revealed as 'record' deal struck with gambling firm |url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/everton-new-shirt-sponsor-breaking-24180690 |website=Liverpool Echo |access-date=18 June 2022 |date=9 June 2022}}{{Cite web|date=16 August 2022|title=Mumbai City FC Announce Stake News As A Principal Partner|url=https://www.mumbaicityfc.com/news/mumbai-city-fc-announce-stake-news-as-principal-partner|access-date=18 August 2022|website=Mumbai City FC|language=en-US|archive-date=18 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220818170643/https://www.mumbaicityfc.com/news/mumbai-city-fc-announce-stake-news-as-principal-partner|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |last=Noodt |first=Fernando |date=2025-02-18 |title=Stake será patrocinador principal de Ñublense durante 2025 |url=https://sbcnoticias.com/stake-patrocinador-principal-nublense-2025/ |access-date=2025-03-08 |language=es}}{{Cite web |title=Alfa Romeo confirm new title sponsor and team name change ahead of 2023 season {{!}} Formula 1® |url=https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.alfa-romeo-confirm-new-title-sponsor-and-team-name-change-ahead-of-2023.6R279802ii3qXlInCf4gSf.html |access-date=28 January 2023 |website=formula1.com |language=en}} organisations,{{Cite web|date=16 October 2024|title=USA Cricket Partners With Stakes For Sponsorship Of The USA Vs. Nepal Series|url=https://athlonsports.com/nation/cricket/cricket/usa-cricket-partners-with-stakes-for-sponsorship-of-the-usa-vs-nepal-series|access-date=18 October 2024|website=Athlon Sports|language=en-US}} leagues and matches{{Cite web |last=Ross |first=James |date=29 March 2022 |title=Stake.com enters the ring to sponsor the 'Big Drama' in Japan |url=https://casinobeats.com/2022/03/29/stake-com-enters-the-ring-to-sponsor-the-big-drama-in-japan/ |access-date=27 April 2022 |website=CasinoBeats |language=en-US}} across many sports.

Stake garnered publicity in 2022 via advertising deals with streaming personalities such as Trainwreckstv, xQc, and Drake, under which they were provided with credit to gamble during streams on Twitch. The surge in gambling streams tied to these deals and others led to scrutiny, resulting in Twitch announcing in September 2022 that it would prohibit streams of online slots, roulette and dice games on services that are not licensed to operate in the United States or "other jurisdictions that provide sufficient consumer protection"—a ban that would include Stake.{{Cite web |last=Parrish |first=Ash |date=2022-09-20 |title=Twitch to ban Stake.com streams and other unlicensed gambling content |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/9/20/23364080/twitch-gambling-ban-stake-slots-roulette-dice-games |access-date=2024-11-29 |website=The Verge |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Browning |first=Kellen |date=2023-12-02 |title=Gambling, Risky Pranks and Lucrative Contracts: Inside the Streaming Site Kick |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/02/technology/kick-streaming-twitch-gambling.html |access-date=2024-11-29 |website=The New York Times}} Craven and Tehrani subsequently launched a competing livestreaming service known as Kick as a sister company, which would differentiate itself by promising higher revenue splits to streamers than Twitch, and looser content guidelines—especially in regards to gambling streams. In Formula One, Stake logos on the Sauber team's livery were replaced with those of Kick during selected races, particularly those held in countries where Stake could not be advertised due to local laws.{{Cite web |last=Brittle |first=Cian |date=2024-01-04 |title=Sauber to alternate F1 team name between Stake and Kick |url=https://www.blackbookmotorsport.com/news/sauber-f1-stake-kick-team-sponsorship/ |access-date=2024-01-07 |website=BlackBook Motorsport |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Lawrence |first=Dan |date=2024-01-05 |title=Sauber to switch between Stake and Kick F1 branding in 2024 and '25 |url=https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/01/05/sauber-to-switch-between-stake-and-kick-f1-branding-in-2024-and-25/ |access-date=2024-01-07 |website=Motorsport Week |language=en-GB}}

File:Stake ad.png

In late-2024, it was reported that Stake had partnered with a number of content aggregator accounts on X, which repost viral images and videos taken from other users (sometimes in a plagiarized form), and are edited to include an additional watermark advertising Stake. The UK Advertising Standards Authority stated in October 2024 that it had been made aware of the advertising and was monitoring it. The ads may be a violation of X's terms of service for paid partnerships, while they may run afoul of advertising codes restricting the marketing of gambling products where minors may be present. The watermarks have been satirized as an internet meme by social media users, including posts that include excessive numbers of Stake logos for comedic effect, or similar posts with logos for other companies.{{Cite web |date=2024-10-11 |title=ASA to monitor surge of ‘Stake’ watermarks on social media |url=https://insidersport.com/2024/10/11/asa-stake-watermarks-social-media/ |access-date=2024-11-03 |website=InsiderSport}}{{Cite web |last=Kleen |first=Brendon |date=2024-10-30 |title=X users highlight Stake-sponsored posts that appear to violate platform's paid partnerships policy |url=https://awfulannouncing.com/twitter/x-users-fighting-stake-sponsored-posts.html |access-date=2024-11-04 |website=Awful Announcing |language=en-US}}

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