Stake plunges in
Cryptocurrency casino brand Stake as hit back at a UK anti-gambling charity body, claiming the organization framed it.
According to the New York Times, Stake has accused The Coalition to End Gambling Ads of illegally creating a betting account in order to draw regulatory attention to its UK soccer franchise Everton.
the charity reported it to the UK Gambling Commission
Stake’s reaction comes after the charity reported it to the UK Gambling Commission for allegedly violating the country’s sport betting advertising laws.
CEGA sent letters last week to Everton and BC.Game-sponsored Leicester City, while urging the UKGC to take action against them.
Stake stated that the account CEGA set up from within the UK that gave its access to its gambling products was “deceptive […] fraudulent and illegal.”
Trouble via VPN
According to NY Times’ The Athletic, a video shows CEGA creating an account on Stake.com from the UK via a VPN.
While Stake’s systems restricted the account within an hour, CEGA states in the meantime it was “free to gamble.”
Last month, the UKGC announced the revocation of Everton sponsor Stake’s UK license effective March 11 after a probe into the firm’s advertising activities. The regulator also tasked EPL franchises with demonstrating effective geo-blocking protections for UK users, stating, however, that “some blocking can be easily bypassed by use of tools such as a Virtual Private Network”.
The UKGC warned franchises would be expected to apply due diligence to the matter to assure the body “consumers cannot transact with the sites from Great Britain by any means.”
According to the NY Times, a CEGA probe and its subsequent letter sent to Everton and Leicester claimed Stake and BC.Game “continue to be easily accessible from Great Britain using VPNs”.
I was able to purchase Bitcoin and then deposit it in both websites and start gambling”
“I have accessed both unlicensed gambling websites using a VPN,” the CEGA letter went. “The sites pointed me towards cryptocurrency providers where I was able to purchase Bitcoin and then deposit it in both websites and start gambling.”
Back at you
A Stake spokesperson has hit back against CEGA’s dabbling, stating the charity “knowingly used a VPN to bypass geographic restrictions [and] intentionally falsified personal details, including name, address, and identity.”
Stake also accused CEGA of identity fraud and using “extreme, illegal steps” to create an account, which the crypto firm added it shut down within an hour as proof its UK compliance protocols were working.
a scenario to defame Stake”
“What’s clear is that the coalition acted in bad faith — manufacturing a scenario to defame Stake, all while engaging in illegal conduct themselves.”
“This was never about fairness or regulation — it was a targeted attack designed to mislead.”