A federal judge has ruled that a class action against Drake will move from a court resolution to personal arbitration.
The ruling stems from allegations that Drake misled users through his promotion of the online gambling platform Stake.
A judge ruled Drake’s gambling lawsuit against Stake must proceed through private arbitration
Judge Leonie M. Brinkema ruled that Stake’s terms of service require disputes to be resolved through individual arbitration rather than in court. As a result, the claims against Stake, and those involving Drake, must first be resolved through arbitration. Claims against Drake will have to wait until the arbitration has been completed.
Filed in 2025 by Stake users, the lawsuit names Drake among the defendants. According to Law Commentary, the lawsuit accuses the rapper of misleadingly promoting the platform. It also alleges that Stake is operating an online gambling business capitalizing on celebrity endorsements.
It also argues that Drake’s and Stake’s payment structures are not what they appear to be. The complaint further alleges that funds generated through Stake were used as part of schemes to artificially inflate Drake’s music streams on platforms such as Spotify.
While not discussing whether the claims hold water, the judge has concentrated on how the case will be resolved. She also concluded that users had agreed to arbitrate disputes when they accepted Stake’s terms of service.
The Virginia lawsuit is one of several legal challenges tied to Drake’s partnership with Stake, which has faced repeated accusations that its celebrity-backed promotions encourage online gambling.
Separately, another lawsuit accuses Spotify of failing to prevent fraudulent streaming activity, including the alleged artificial boosting of Drake’s music. Drake is not a plaintiff in that case, nor is he accused of wrongdoing in the lawsuit.
Both Drake and Stake have pushed back against the claims. While the online gambling platform has denied them outright, Drake has chosen not to comment publicly.
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Originally reported by Sreemanti Sengupta on Mandatory
