It is a great time of year for the fans of online casino gambling and sports betting enthusiasts. One of the leading hybrid platforms, Stake, offers both, and it is celebrating its 8th birthday. Who would have thought that almost a decade has passed since the original launch of the service? The year 2017 seems like ancient past in internet years, and considering how much both the online and the offline worlds have changed since then, it is amazing to see that Stake is continuing as strong as ever with more to offer the users each month.
Of course, as is often the case with birthdays and celebrations, the platform has a lot in store for the fans who keep coming back to play their favorite games and bet on the best odds. From special promotions and Stake 8th Birthday Bonus to new games worth trying out, the month of August is cause for happiness, good vibes, and the celebration of the continuous success and growth of the popular hybrid gambling service. If you were wondering what the best time to start playing is, this is it. Read on to learn more and join us in celebrating 8 years of Stake!
The Journey of Stake: Humble Beginnings to Industry Leader
The origin and journey of the platform that we know today is very interesting and complex. Its founders, Ed Craven and Bijan Tehrani, first collaborated in 2013 on Primedice, which was a Bitcoin online dice game. They met through the RuneScape gaming community. In 2016, they founded Easygo, a technology studio that built casino game software. This step led to the launch of Stake.com in August of 2017, which they registered under the Curacao eGaming licence with their parent company, Medium Rare N.V. This was the official launch of what is now the recognizable platform that offers casino games and sports betting. But getting here was still a challenge, and it hardly happened overnight.
Initially, Stake offered bespoke provably fair original crypto games like Crash, Plinko, Dice, Mines, and others. Later, they supplemented these with thousands of slot and table titles, as well as live casino tables, from popular providers like Pragmatic Play and Evolution. Hosting became an important part of their business model, but they always remained focused on in house development. More on that later. By 2019, they added a full sportsbook section and opened a new chapter in their business. It enabled crypto wagering across a wide range of sports and the esports market, and pushed them into the betting industry.
During the pandemic era in 2020, the platform used Twitch streamers to showcase their games, which accelerated the growth and went from around $100 million in annual revenue to billions within a couple of years. They were suddenly one of the largest players on the market, but they did not stop there and continued perfecting the formula and striving further and further. So in 2021, Stake launched a licensed UK site under the local gambling license and became the main shirt sponsor of Watford FC in the English Premier League. That was a huge deal that once again revolutionized the industry.
The following year, in 2022, Stake signed a massive sponsorship deal with the rap superstar Drake, as well as with UFC fighters Israel Adesanya and Francis Ngannou. Sergio Aguero, the former Man City and Argentina player, also became a brand ambassador. Since Twitch banned non UC licensed crypto gambling streams, the founders of Stake launched Kick, a much more permissive streaming platform, and Twitch’s main competitor today. They officially entered the streaming business and disrupted another industry.
Financial Performance and Global Presence
In 2022, the reported revenue was US$2.6 billion, which grew to $4.7 billion in gross gaming revenue (GGR) in 2024. By that year, it claimed around 25 million users and had more than 300 billion bets placed since the launch in 2017. It is an unprecedented success for a platform, a rare feat of constant growth and expansion without many hiccups along the way. Stake accounts for roughly 4% of all Bitcoin network transactions and around 80 billion bets per year globally.
Speaking of the global presence, the company is in a very interesting situation. They are operated by Medium Rare N.V. with a license in Curacao, but they have offices in Australia, Serbia, and Cyprus. Furthermore, they have many remote teams globally. With their Stake.us, a platform, a social casino that uses play money tokens redeemable via crypto, they created something new. It was launched in August of 2022, around their 5th birthday, and US players can play in compliance with sweepstakes laws.
In House Game Development
A big reason why the platform remains competitive and continuously grows also has to deal with Stake Originals, an in house developer and publisher. The platform makes its exclusive titles and hosts them solely on their service. Nowhere else can users play these amazing games other than on their native website. Stake pioneered this line of games, a library of provably fair titles tailored primarily for crypto users, while supporting thousands of slots and other games from third party publishers. They are doing both, on top of sports betting, meaning no matter your go to form of wagering, the platform has it in abundance.
There are instant crypto/deposits and withdrawals, a wide selection of over 20 cryptos to use, and continuous programs and incentives for the users. These original titles are based on and inspired by games from the real world and other online games, but made better, easier, simpler, and faster. The fans have come to expect a new one every few months, and they are some of the most popular and most played games on the platform. Bars, Mines, Plinko, Limbo, Crash, and Scarab are only some of them, each with thousands of players at any given moment, a great tally for a cryptocurrency title.
|
Game |
Game Type |
Volatility |
RTP% |
Key Features |
Popularity |
|
Plinko |
Ball Drop |
Medium-High |
99.00 |
Choose risk level & rows; multiplier range up to x1,000+ |
★★★★★ |
|
Mines |
Minesweeper |
High |
97.00 |
Avoid hidden mines; multiplier increases with risk |
★★★★★ |
|
Crash |
Multiplier |
High |
99.00 |
Watch a multiplier grow until it “crashes” |
★★★★☆ |
|
Limbo |
Multiplier |
High |
99.00 |
Bet on a multiplier; instant win if hit or exceeded |
★★★★☆ |
|
Dice |
Number Bet |
Medium |
99.00 |
Choose a roll under value to win |
★★★★☆ |
|
Keno |
Number Draw |
Medium |
95.00 |
Choose numbers; match drawn numbers to win |
★★★★☆ |
|
Diamond Poker |
Card Game |
Medium |
97.14 |
Poker hand payouts; instant gameplay |
★★★☆☆ |
|
Scarab Spin |
Slot |
Medium-High |
96.50 |
Fast paced slots with Scarab bonus symbols |
★★★★☆ |
|
Wheel |
Multiplier |
Medium |
97.00 |
Spin a wheel with x2 to x50 multipliers |
★★★☆☆ |
|
Blackjack |
Table Game |
Low-Med |
99.20 |
Traditional blackjack format with fast hands |
★★★★☆ |
Sports Betting and Odds
While the casino side of the platform may seem like the more dominant one, the sportsbook is equally as dominant, especially considering the sponsorship deals and partnerships that the platform has with athletes, leagues, and teams. We already mentioned sports stars, but Stake has its own Formula 1 team now, Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber, with Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg driving the amazing looking black and green cars. In the eight years they have been around, they have offered excitement and action from all the major sporting events. Olympic Games, FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Euros, Copa America, Cricket World Cup, NFL, NBA, MLB…If it is popular, Stake has it. There are also less popular sports and leagues, with nobody being left behind, so that the fans of all leagues, tournaments, and competitions can find the best odds on the market.
A particularly big part of it all is the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the most popular MMA promotion. Stake is the main betting partner of UFC, a collaboration that has been going on since 2021. As the largest and most successful fighting organisation in the world, it is a big deal for Stake and its fans since they get the best markets and odds out of anyone. On top of that, they cover every event and every fight, from the main card to the early preliminary card. Max Holloway, Israel Adesanya, Alex Pereira, Alexandre Pantoja, and Merab Dvalishvili have all been or still are UFC partners.
Promotions, Bonuses, and Incentives
At Stake, there is always something fresh and exciting happening with the casino and sports promotions, putting the fans first. Whether you are into spinning the reels or placing bets on your favorite teams, there is a wide range of bonuses and special deals to take advantage of.
With the VIP Club, you can get rewarded based on your wagering activity. No matter your current tier, you can enjoy regular weekly and monthly bonuses, rakeback, personal VIP support, and exclusive level up rewards. The VIP FAQ page has all the detailed info, but essentially, all you need to do is keep wagering to boost your status and unlock greater perks.
Stake vs Eddie allows the players to compete against Eddie each week for their shot at a share of $50,000. Each week features a new game, and your goal is to beat Eddie’s multiplier. All players who outperform him will evenly split the prize pool and enjoy the spoils.
In Daily Races, you bet your way up the leaderboard for a shot at a daily prize pool of $100,000. Every bet you place contributes to your position, and the top 5,000 players each day take home a reward. It is an amazing incentive when you do not have anything else to play or bet on.
The Multiplier Race offers one of four selected games each week as you try to hit a top multiplier to win a share of $10,000. It is very simple: the bigger your multiplier, the better your chances. A classic high risk, high reward mechanic with a twist.
Stake Casino and Sportsbook FAQs
1. What is Stake, and how does it work?
Stake is a cryptocurrency based online casino where you can also bet on sports. It offers casino games (slots, table games, live dealers) and sports betting, all of which can be transacted using crypto. Users register, deposit crypto, play games or bet on sports, and withdraw their winnings.
2. Is Stake a licensed and legal platform?
Yes, Stake operates under a license from Curaçao (License No. 8048/JAZ), a common regulatory body for online gambling. However, its legality depends on your local laws. Some countries may restrict access.
3. What cryptocurrencies does Stake accept?
Stake accepts a range of cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), Dogecoin (DOGE), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Ripple (XRP), Tron (TRX), EOS (EOS), Binance Coin (BNB), USD Coin (USDC), and Tether (USDT).
4. Are the games on Stake provably fair?
Yes, many of Stake’s original games are provably fair since they use cryptographic algorithms that allow players to verify each outcome. This adds transparency and builds trust.
5. Does Stake offer live dealer games?
Absolutely. Stake partners with providers like Evolution and Pragmatic Play to offer a wide variety of live dealer games such as blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and game shows.
6. Can I bet on esports and virtual sports on Stake?
Yes. Stake offers a full sportsbook that includes traditional sports, esports like CS: GO, Dota 2, and League of Legends, and virtual sports simulations for 24/7 betting.
7. Does Stake offer any welcome bonuses or promotions?
Stake does not use traditional deposit bonuses. Instead, there is Rakeback, Reload bonuses
giveaways, and VIP rewards. They also run celebrity promotions and special incentives when a sports event or a new game is being launched.
8. Who are Stake’s celebrity or brand ambassadors?
Stake has partnered with numerous stars and celebrities from different industries. Some of them include rapper Drake, who hosts exclusive betting streams, UFC fighters Max Holloway and Israel Adesanya, the Sauber F1 team, and Everton FC. Sergio Aguero is one of their brand ambassadors, too.
9. What is the minimum deposit and withdrawal on Stake?
Minimums vary by crypto, but generally, deposits are as low as $5-10 equivalent in crypto. The withdrawals are also low, though fees may apply depending on network congestion.
10. Is KYC (identity verification) required to use Stake?
For most users, Stake is a no KYC platform. However, if suspicious activity is detected or if you are accessing from a restricted region, verification may be required for compliance.
