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Seeger Weiss has filed a lawsuit in New York Supreme Court against Stake.com, an offshore online gambling platform, and Coinbase, alleging that the defendants recruited and enabled a then-12-year-old minor into illegal crypto gambling, causing severe and lasting harm.
The complaint alleges that Stake.com operates illegally across all U.S. states while serving approximately five million American visitors each month. According to the suit, the platform actively targets minors through a network of paid influencers — including celebrity Drake, who allegedly earns $100 million per year to livestream gambling sessions — and uses VPNs, mirror sites, and Discord networks to circumvent age verification requirements.
Coinbase is named as a co-defendant for its alleged role in facilitating the scheme. Despite clear indicators of the plaintiff’s age, including identity mismatches and a bank account labeled “High School Checking,” Coinbase is alleged to have processed the minor’s cryptocurrency purchases and facilitated repeated transfers to offshore gambling wallets.
The plaintiff, identified as John Doe to protect his privacy, was first recruited onto the platform at age 12. The lawsuit alleges that his gambling activity ultimately led him to withdraw from college and that he was subsequently diagnosed with compulsive gambling disorder and panic disorder. He now regularly attends Gamblers Anonymous meetings.
“This is a system built to recruit children and profit from their addiction,” said Seeger Weiss Senior Partner David Buchanan. “Our case lays out how these defendants built an illegal gambling pipeline — from the paid influencers who targeted children on gaming platforms, to the offshore casino that refused to verify their ages, to the crypto exchange that moved their money. Thankfully, the courts are the one place these defendants can’t VPN their way out of accountability.”
David Buchanan and Seeger Weiss Associate Nigel Halliday are co-counsel on the matter, alongside The Schenk Law Firm and Rafferty Domnick Cunningham & Yaffa.
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