Drake Accused of Using Gambling Platform to Boost Streams

Canadian rapper Drake has been accused of leveraging an online gambling platform partnership to artificially inflate streaming numbers for his music, reigniting debate around celebrity crypto-gambling endorsements and disclosure standards. The allegations, which surfaced across social media and industry commentary between January 6–7, centre on claims that high-visibility gambling content and wager-linked promotions may have been used to drive coordinated play and engagement around specific music releases.

While no regulatory findings have been issued, the situation highlights growing concern over how crypto gambling platforms intersect with influencer marketing, data integrity, and consumer transparency. Drake has been a long-standing promotional partner of Stake, a Curacao-licensed crypto casino, frequently appearing in livestreams, social campaigns, and high-stakes betting content that blends entertainment, wagering, and brand amplification.

Key Takeaways

• Crypto gambling platforms face renewed scrutiny over influencer-driven engagement strategies that may blur the line between marketing and artificially inflated activity.
• Streaming platforms and regulators could increase monitoring of referral-linked campaigns tied to wagering incentives or high-volume coordinated user behavior.
• Operators relying on celebrity partnerships may face higher compliance expectations around disclosure, transparency, and promotional mechanics.

Drake’s relationship with Stake has been one of the most visible celebrity-gambling partnerships in the crypto sector. Since 2022, the rapper has participated in frequent livestreamed betting sessions, giveaways, and promotional events, often coinciding with album drops or single releases. Critics argue that this convergence creates conditions where gambling-driven traffic and fan participation could distort organic engagement metrics on third-party platforms such as Spotify or Apple Music, even if indirectly.

Industry analysts note that while influencer marketing is not inherently problematic, crypto gambling adds complexity due to pseudonymous wallets, incentive-based participation, and opacity across platforms. Unlike traditional advertising, wager-linked promotions can generate high-frequency, short-term engagement spikes that are difficult for streaming platforms to distinguish from genuine listener demand. This raises reputational and compliance risks, particularly if promotions are not clearly disclosed as paid or incentivised.

From a regulatory standpoint, the controversy underscores a broader tightening trend. Jurisdictions such as the UK, EU member states, and Australia have already increased scrutiny on gambling advertising and celebrity endorsements, while Curacao’s updated licensing framework places greater emphasis on responsible marketing and transparency. Although Stake operates legally in multiple jurisdictions, regulators may view high-profile cases as justification to impose clearer boundaries on influencer-led gambling promotions.

For the crypto gambling sector, the episode reinforces the need for stronger internal governance. Operators are increasingly expected to document promotional mechanics, separate wagering incentives from unrelated commercial outcomes, and ensure that influencer campaigns do not create misleading impressions of organic popularity or financial gain. Failure to do so could accelerate regulatory intervention at both the gambling and digital content levels.

As of January 8, no formal investigation involving Drake or Stake has been confirmed. However, the allegations alone demonstrate how quickly reputational risk can materialise at the intersection of crypto, gambling, and entertainment—an area regulators are watching with growing intensity.

Sources: X (formerly Twitter) industry commentary; CoinDesk;, Decrypt;, Gambling Insider, public disclosures related to Stake partnerships