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Tag: Adin Ross

  • Drake and Adin Ross Face Legal Action over Alleged Illegal Gambling Promotion

    A new legal dispute in the USA has placed two of the internet’s most recognizable figures at the center of a heated debate over influencer-driven gambling promotion. Music superstar Drake and popular streamer Adin Ross are named in a newly filed class-action lawsuit that accuses them of helping direct consumers toward real-money gambling through the sweepstakes-style casino platform Stake.us.

    The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Virginia by two state residents, alleges that the influencers leveraged their online presence to promote Stake.us in ways that far exceeded casual endorsement. The lawsuit contends that Drake and Ross, along with an associate based in Australia, collaborated with the platform to draw users into wagering with real financial consequences.

    This dispute revolves around Stake.us’s dual-currency system. Players can purchase virtual “Gold Coins” for games marketed as recreational. However, each transaction also includes “Stake Cash,” a second digital token that can be wagered and later exchanged for real money. Plaintiffs argue that this structure disguises gambling as sweepstakes, allowing the platform to operate in states where online casinos are otherwise prohibited.

    According to the lawsuit, Drake and Ross repeatedly showcased Stake.us during livestreams and social media posts, featuring high-stakes betting, giveaways, and dramatic wins that encouraged viewers to sign up and play. Plaintiffs claim that these advertisements created a false perception of reduced risk, while downplaying the potential for financial loss and addiction.

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    This newest case stands out due to its scope. Beyond consumer protection claims, the lawsuit alleges racketeering activity under the federal RICO statute. The complaint argues that Stake’s internal tipping feature served as an informal money-transfer mechanism, allowing funds to move between accounts without traditional financial oversight. Those funds were allegedly routed into broader schemes unrelated to gambling, including online promotion campaigns.

    Drake, in particular, faces accusations of using proceeds linked to Stake activity to bankroll artificial streaming operations, including bot-driven plays and coordinated social media amplification, to boost his music across major platforms. Ross is described as a key promotional partner. His livestreams regularly featured Stake-branded content, reinforcing the platform’s visibility among younger audiences who could transition from watching to wagering.

    The lawsuit seeks to represent Virginia residents who lost money on Stake.us in the last three years. It requests the court to award damages, impose penalties under consumer protection laws, and halt what it describes as ongoing unlawful activity. Similar lawsuits against Stake have previously emerged in other states, reflecting growing concern among regulators and lawmakers about sweepstakes casinos and influencer marketing. 

    Deyan Dimitrov

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  • No, You Shouldn’t Livestream Hurricane Milton For Clout

    No, You Shouldn’t Livestream Hurricane Milton For Clout

    Hurricane Milton, one of the biggest storms in recorded history, is set to make landfall in Florida on October 9. It will likely cause tens of billions of dollars of damage and could kill or injure many people who are unable to evacuate Tampa Bay and the surrounding region in time.

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    And yet, some influencers, TikTok content creators, and streamers are claiming that they will stick around and livestream through the historic storm. It’s a horrible idea and yet another example of how some creators are willing to do anything just to get more views, clicks, and subscribers.

    On Tuesday, Forbes reported on numerous influencers who suggested in videos posted online that they would be sticking around even as Hurricane Milton makes its way closer and closer to Florida.

    Influencer and writer Caroline Calloway posted on Twitter that even though her house is located in the evacuation zone and is on the beach, she won’t be leaving. Instead, she tweeted about how she’s not leaving and included an ad for her upcoming advice book. “I have champagne and four generations of Floridians in my veins. It’ll be fine,” tweeted Calloway.

    Another TikTok creator, kricketfelt, has been posting videos about how her home is made out of concrete and she and her husband are going to stay and not evacuate. She’s continued to upload videos, making light of the situation, as the storm gets closer.

    Meanwhile, a clip of controversial Kick Streamer Adin Ross supposedly offering people $30,000 to stick around and livestream through the hurricane went viral after being shared on Twitter and TikTok. However, during the full seven-hour livestream, it’s clear Ross isn’t offering this money to anyone and in fact, was just joking around with a friend. During that same stream, he also told viewers to evacuate Tampa Bay and suggested the hurricane was being used to “distract” people from the upcoming election. So a mixed bag.

    Kotaku has reached out to Adin Ross for comment about his stream and statements.

    Even though the offer wasn’t real, that didn’t stop some streamers from claiming that they were streaming live from Florida in the path of the hurricane. One Kick streamer, MikeSmallsJr, claimed to be streaming from Florida with nothing but an air mattress and some snacks. During one moment of his stream, he admitted that Ross’ offer wasn’t real and was taken out of context, but suggested the streamer still should pay him something for what he was doing.

    “At the end of the day, I was the first Kick streamer to do this shit during Hurricane Helene. I’m out here busting my ass to entertain the people,” said MikeSmallsJr. Later he reportedly heard he wasn’t getting anything and wasn’t happy. 

    Another streamer, JamesWorley, claimed to be streaming during the storm and, when asked what he would do when or if he lost cell service, said: “I guess the stream will end.” A few moments later, his stream cut off. It returned a minute later.

    Kotaku wasn’t able to verify their locations, but some did at least seem to be in Florida and were streaming during large amounts of rain. The storm isn’t set to make landfall until 8 p.m. EST, though thunderstorms and tornadoes are already covering much of the Sunshine State.

    The reality is that even though Adin Ross didn’t actually offer large sums of money to encourage people to stream through the storm, the comments sadly might have inspired some people to stick around even as a deadly, incredibly powerful hurricane is about to hit where they live.

    For some content creators, a massive hurricane is just an opportunity to risk their lives, troll their viewers, or create “edgy” content while possibly earning more views and subscribers. All of this in an effort to conquer the algorithm and rise above the thousands and thousands of other creators out there, all trying to desperately make money on social media and streaming platforms that, more and more, feel like sinking ships and not the future of entertainment.

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    Zack Zwiezen

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  • Andrew Tate Arrested After Streamer Adin Ross Blabs His Escape Plan

    Andrew Tate Arrested After Streamer Adin Ross Blabs His Escape Plan

    Besties don’t snitch on each other, but I guess controversial Kick streamer Adin Ross didn’t get that memo. According to a recent Rolling Stone report, the 20-something content creator accidentally ratted out his homie Andrew Tate during a livestream sometime last week, which apparently landed the self-professed internet misogynist back behind Romanian prison bars following a U.K. arrest warrant.

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    Read More: The Internet Is Kicking Toxic Jerk Andrew Tate Off The Funniest Places

    On March 12, Rolling Stone confirmed that the Tate brothers, Andrew and Tristan, were re-arrested by Romanian authorities based on a tip they received about the duo’s plan to leave Romania. While it’s unclear who delivered the tip, the publication noted that the firm McCue Law, which represents the women accusing the Tates of rape and sexual assault, learned about the brothers’ plans via a Kick livestream by Adin Ross, a friend of the Tates. As Rolling Stone discovered by viewing a clip from the stream, at one point Ross read a direct message from Andrew to his viewers. (The clip wasn’t linked in the original Rolling Stone story but can be viewed here.)

    “Andrew had hit me up,” Ross can be seen saying. “He said, ‘Hey, I’m gonna be leaving Romania soon and probably never coming back. If you want to come over and do a week of long streams and content before I leave, I think it’ll be big. And it’s never’—I’m sorry, he said, ‘It’s basically now or never.’”

    The Tates were previously arrested in December 2022. Employing something Andrew referred to as the “loverboy method,” the duo lured in and subjugated women using intimidation and surveillance and, through manipulation and abuse, coerced them into performing in exploitative videos, authorities have claimed.

    A spokesperson for the Tates told Rolling Stone that neither of them intended to flee Romania to dodge judicial proceedings, explaining that Ross may have “misconstrue[d] Andrew’s message.” Eugen Vidineac, the Tates’ counsel, said there’s “no truth” to what Ross read live, ardently expressing the brothers’ intent to “actively [participate] in the legal process” in order to defend their reputation.

    Kotaku has reached out to Ross and Tate for comment.

    Read More: Internet Misogynist Andrew Tate Back In Custody Following Brief Hospital Visit

    Whether intentional or not, what Adin Ross read from Andrew Tate seems to have had severe consequences. Here I thought that when you’re the Top G, you get to do whatever you want, whenever you want. But, as Tate has said in various books of his, “You are the only person who can mess this up.” Well, guess what, Tate? You messed this up. Hope the trial goes well.

     

    Levi Winslow

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  • 21 Savage, Soulja Boy, Kai Cenat & More React To Playboi Carti Finessing $2M From Adin Ross For 6-Minute Live Stream

    21 Savage, Soulja Boy, Kai Cenat & More React To Playboi Carti Finessing $2M From Adin Ross For 6-Minute Live Stream


    Playboi Carti Source: Burak Cingi / Getty

    After Playboi Carti finessed Adin Ross for $2M for a 6-minute live stream celebrities gave their reaction to the situation.

    When it comes to the entertainment business doing anything with contracts is taking an insane amount of risk that usually doesn’t end well. In the case of Adin Ross, he was so eager to have Playboi Carti in his live stream he allegedly offered him $2M and a Ferrari for an hour appearance.

    Carti was scheduled to arrive on stream after his Grammy performance with Travis Scott. He arrived hours late and then allegedly refused to come into the building. Hours after that he returned and finally came on stream standing at the back of the room before approaching the live stream. His face was covered with a mask gifted by Kanye and he said few words while on camera.

    Once Adin gave him a bag of cash he appeared to count it and then leave. The entire exchange lasted a total of six minutes allegedly. A very frustrated Adin apologized to his 500k live viewers while trying to make sense of what just happened.

    In the video above Soulja Boy who we assume was watching the awkward situation go down, called to check on Adin. Soulja seemed genuinely concerned and befuddled like everyone else viewing. After that Adin called 21 Savage who was unaware of the situation and said he would watch then call him back according to HipHopDX.

    Less than 5 minutes later Savage called after watching the clip and couldn’t believe what he saw.

    “$2 million for six minutes, bro? You paid for six minutes,” Savage asked as Adin denied that Carti was paid the full amount, to which the “No Heart” rapper countered: “I just seen you give him a bag of cash.”

    Savage cut the conversation short and said they would discuss it further off-camera. Of course, once the news made its rounds to other streamers they reacted to the stream for content. Kai Cenat and Flight Reacts had the same reactions as everyone else, confusion. The overall feeling was the same, we all witnessed a robbery in real time.

    You can watch the streaming world react to the heist below.





    Noah Williams

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  • Twitch Mega Streamer xQc Signed By Gambling Company For $100 Million

    Twitch Mega Streamer xQc Signed By Gambling Company For $100 Million

    Twitch’s biggest streamer, Félix “xQc” Lengyel, is signing with the company’s newest rival, Kick, a streaming platform that offers better revenue splits and also appears to be centered around online gambling. The non-exclusive deal is valued at up to $100 million over two years, and is the latest and biggest blow to Twitch as creator discontent continues to mount.

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    As first reported by The New York Times, the agreement will pay out $35 million per year, with $30 million in additional incentives available if xQc hits certain benchmarks. As Dexerto points out, this would make it the 12th biggest annual payout in all of sports, putting xQc right ahead of Kevin Durant.

    Kick is a streaming platform startup funded by online gambling companies including Easygo Gaming and Stake.com. Following Twitch’s crackdown on gambling promotion last fall, the platform attracted big names like Adin Ross, BruceDropEmOff, and Trainwreckstv with its lax rules and 5/95 revenue split for creators. It’s not yet clear if Kick is profitable or how it plans to become so, but it has managed to benefit from a backlash against Twitch as the Amazon-owned platform has sought to more aggressively monetize the people making content for it.

    A “child of Twitch” raised in its often-toxic chat, xQc started in the world of League of Legends before moving on to Overwatch, briefly competing in Blizzard’s Overwatch League before eventually being released from the Dallas Fuel after a series of suspensions for offensive comments. He pivoted to being a full-time content creator in 2018, with this mix of high-level play, unfiltered remarks, and an endless penchant for controversy turning him into Twitch’s most-watched streamer by 2021.

    By 2022, leaks revealed that xQc had earned $8 million from subscriptions on the platform. That same year, he lost $1.8 million in a single month from online gambling. While his contract with Kick doesn’t preclude him from streaming on Twitch, the latter has a rule against simulcasting, making it unclear how much time, if any, xQc will still devote to the platform that helped turn him into a star in the first place.

    “It’s time,” xQc tweeted on June 16, when his new partnership with Kick was announced. The post included a video promising his content would remain unchanged on the new platform. Directly below that was a retweet showing support for streamer Nickmercs, who’d recently come under fire for making anti-LGBTQ+ remarks.

    Ethan Gach

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