Drake, Adin Ross, and DJ Akademiks Involved in New Gambling Lawsuit
High-Profile Figures Named in Lawsuit Over Gambling Promotions
A new lawsuit was filed in New Jersey on Wednesday, April 22, targeting several well-known entertainers and influencers. This case centers on allegations of racketeering and illegal gambling practices.
Details of the Lawsuit and Accusations Against Celebrity Promoters
The lawsuit specifically names Drake, Adin Ross, and DJ Akademiks for their alleged roles in promoting Stake.us, a gambling website also listed as a defendant. This lawsuit adds to numerous other similar legal actions taking place in various states including Missouri, New Mexico, and Virginia.
The complaint claims that the celebrities used their influence to encourage people to engage with the website and participate in betting. The plaintiff, Jason Nufio from Roselle, New Jersey, states that he lost money while using Stake.us, which he alleges operates in violation of state gambling laws.
Stake.us is described as a social casino that does not offer real money gambling directly, instead utilizing a virtual currency referred to as gold coins. However, the lawsuit argues that this virtual currency is employed as a cover to mask what it describes as illegal gambling activities.
In New Jersey, sweepstakes casinos were officially banned as of August 15, 2025. The lawsuit further accuses individual defendants such as Akademiks of knowingly supporting deceptive practices, including the manipulation of streaming numbers through bot networks.
Similar Legal Actions in Other States Highlight Concerns
The lawsuit also points out that Stake.us failed to disclose that celebrities like Adin Ross and Drake were not subject to financial losses when they gambled live on their streams to promote the platform. The plaintiff asserts that these actions have resulted in significant harm to consumers who have lost real money on the site.
Comparable complaints have emerged in New York, alleging that Stake.us has targeted younger audiences through influencer marketing. Although these cases have raised awareness, none of the accused parties have been convicted to date.
