While Drake might be busy with his upcoming album, he’s also dealing with ongoing legal challenges. Following previous lawsuits concerning his involvement with the gambling platform Stake, Drake, along with Adin Ross and DJ Akademiks, has been named in a new illegal gambling and racketeering lawsuit filed in New Jersey.
Accusations of Deception and Harm
The lawsuit, filed by Jason Nufio of Roselle, NJ, accuses Stake of violating state gambling regulations. The core accusation is that Drake, Ross, and Akademiks used their significant celebrity platforms to promote the company, allegedly concealing their financial ties to Stake. This promotion, the suit claims, led Nufio and other consumers to lose substantial amounts of money on the platform.
The legal filing specifically targets DJ Akademiks, accusing him of “knowingly and directly [assisting] Drake’s inflation of his streaming numbers through bot networks by publishing and promoting information that he knew to be false.” The lawsuit also claims Akademiks received payment through Stake’s tipping feature. According to Nufio, the advertisements for Stake concealed the fact that Drake and Ross faced no genuine financial risk, while ordinary consumers who followed their lead suffered real financial losses.
Stake’s ‘Gold Coins’ and Legal Precedents
The lawsuit further contends that Stake’s use of virtual “gold coins” currency is merely a “fig leaf” to avoid the appearance of illegal gambling and provide a superficial veneer of deniability. This legal battle follows similar lawsuits filed against Drake and Adin Ross concerning Stake in other states, including New Mexico, Missouri, and Virginia. New Jersey also enacted legislation in August 2025 making sweepstakes casinos illegal within the state.
Nufio is seeking recovery for his significant gambling losses and other damages. It’s worth noting that all parties involved have previously denied similar allegations in past legal proceedings. This latest lawsuit adds another layer to the ongoing legal scrutiny surrounding Drake’s association with Stake, including claims of unrealistic wins on the platform.
They have inflicted harm on consumers across the State who have lost real money chasing gambling wins on the Stake platform. — Jason Nufio (via lawsuit)
What are your thoughts on these allegations against Drake, Adin Ross, and DJ Akademiks? Do you think celebrity endorsements of gambling platforms should face stricter regulations? Share your views in the comments below!
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