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CHICAGO -- There is a new lawsuit against rapper Drake, who's being sued for allegedly promoting an illegal and fraudulent gambling scheme. When Drake is not making music, the rap superstar boasts on social media he's making millions through online gambling. "Gambling online is just, it's a wherever, whenever kind of thing. You know, I've gambled at a restaurant. I've gambled on a plane," he said. On Wednesday, a new lawsuit accused the rapper of glamorizing online gambling while misleading fans, some of them teenagers. Drake has a partnership with the online casino Stake. When he posts about placing big bets, the lawsuit says, it's not his money, but house money. So any reported losses are part of a marketing tactic designed to draw attention. SEE ALSO: Drake's defamation case against record label UMG dismissed by federal judge The lawsuit was filed by a Missouri man who claims he lost money on Stake because of deceptive practices by Drake, online influencer Adin Ross and Stake. The platform markets itself as a social casino that does not offer actual gambling, but the lawsuit says Stake's virtual casino chips, known as gold coins, come with a bonus of Stake cash that can be redeemed for cryptocurrency, making Stake real and highly addictive gambling. Stake is all over Drake's Instagram account. His 142 million followers can watch him wager enormous sums, creating what the lawsuit calls the "Drake effect," boosting Stake's popularity among younger, impressionable audiences who admire his lifestyle. "Drake's role as Stake's unofficial mascot is quietly corrosive," the lawsuit says. "He's glamorizing the platform to millions of impressionable fans, many of whom treat his wild betting habits like gospel." "The civil complaint here is for violations of Missouri gambling law and other typical civil remedies that may or may not be influenced by how many people have access to it or how Drake goes about advertising the product," Marisa Darden said.
