Brayden Urdan, a resident of Illinois, has filed a lawsuit against Stake.us in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, accusing the platform of operating an illegal online casino in the state.
The complaint claims that after Stake.com was unable to enter the regulated U.S. market, co-founder Ed Craven launched Stake.us as a workaround – presenting it as a sweepstakes casino. Urdan argues that Stake.us is essentially a rebranded replica of Stake.com, designed to mislead regulators and consumers into believing the platform offers legal, risk-free entertainment.
Central to the lawsuit is the “Stake Cash” system, which allegedly enables users to convert in-game currency into U.S. dollars for withdrawals – an action the lawsuit claims qualifies as real-money gambling under Illinois law.
The filing further alleges that Stake’s actions cause serious harm, particularly to vulnerable groups, including those at risk of gambling addiction and younger audiences, who are targeted through “free play” promotions. The platform’s marketing strategy – featuring influencers, high-end graphics, and widespread social media ads – is said to give the false impression that its games are harmless fun.
According to the lawsuit, Stake’s portrayal of itself as a “social casino” serves to obscure the platform’s real-money gambling model, creating a dangerous environment that Illinois gambling laws are meant to prevent. Urdan claims this misrepresentation puts consumers at risk of financial loss, addiction, and mental distress.
This legal action follows a similar lawsuit filed in California by Dennis Boyle. Meanwhile, other platforms such as Kalshi, Robinhood, and Crypto.com are also under regulatory scrutiny, facing cease-and-desist letters from multiple U.S. states. Gambling Insider has examined these developments in detail with insights from KPMG.
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