Stake Gets the Shaft After Porn Star Ad Scandal & Shuts Down in UK
The UK Site Will Shut Operations on March 11, 2025
Bonnie Gives Blue Balls to Stake’s UK Dreams
Stake, the crypto-gambling giant, just got a hard lesson in advertising dos and don’ts. The online casino and sportsbook, best known for its high-profile sponsorships and flashy promotions, has been forced to leave the UK market after regulators didn’t like a racy ad featuring adult actress Bonnie Blue.
The UK Gambling Commission wasn’t impressed with the campaign which showed Blue boasting about her latest exploits with the Stake logo plastered all over it. Now, the bet platform is shutting down its UK operations faster than a bad poker hand.
The fallout was swift and brutal. TGP Europe, the Isle of Man-based company that operated Stake’s UK platform under a white-label license, announced the site would be closed by 11th March 2025. The Gambling Commission was already keeping a close eye on the crypto-betting behemoth and cracked down hard, calling Stake’s bluff on compliance and responsible marketing.
And to add insult to injury, they are now warning Premier League clubs (including Everton, one of Stake’s biggest partners) about the risks of sites that don’t comply with these online gambling regulations. Safe to say, Stake lost big time on this bet.
We’ve submitted a complaint to the ASA about this gambling advert by Stake featuring pornographic actress Bonnie Blue. It clearly breaches rules to stop gambling being linked to seduction and appealing to young people.
Let’s see if @ASA_UK or @GamRegGB do anything about it. pic.twitter.com/I9yEdsrC4Q
— Coalition to End Gambling Ads (@EndGamblingAds) January 7, 2025
Bonnie Blue’s ‘Freshman Year’ Fiasco
So what happened in the ad that made casino news headlines so quickly? Enter Bonnie Blue, the British adult actress who isn’t shy about pushing boundaries with her body (no pun intended).
In the now infamous video, Blue is discussing her preference for hooking up with “barely legal 18-year-olds” in their freshman year at Nottingham Trent University… right as the Stake logo appears on the screen. The stunt was far from a branding wet dream come true for the company. However, we wouldn’t be surprised if student enrollment went up at this university.
Regulators didn’t need a magnifying glass to spot the problem. An online gambling giant and a video openly discussing predatory themes? Bad bet from the start.
The UK Gambling Commission launched an investigation last month and found the campaign in breach of advertising guidelines and responsible gambling measures. Stake and its UK operator TGP Europe tried to cash out but the damage was done, by 11th March 2025, the site will be shut.
And while the freshman comment was enough to get the brand in trouble, let’s not forget Bonnie Blue’s previous boast: she had sex with over 1,000 men in one day. That didn’t get Stake in trouble, but it did cement her as someone who takes the phrase ‘all in’ to a whole new level.
OF ⭐️ Bonnie Blue outside of Universities hunting 130 BARELY legal 18 year olds that she can SLEEP with, promising that they can go for how much time they want and finish wherever they want ☠️😭 pic.twitter.com/QqyKEBO75l
— The Local Clips Plug🔌 (@localclipsplug) December 31, 2024
What is Stake, and How Did It Hit the Jackpot?
So you may not know the name but Stake isn’t some dodgy betting casino, it’s one of the biggest in the game. Launched in 2017 by Aussie entrepreneurs Ed Craven and Bijan Tehrani, the platform revolutionized the industry by making cryptocurrency the go-to currency for high rollers worldwide who like to play blackjack for money.
Its rise to the top wasn’t just about innovation, it was about aggressive marketing. Stake has pumped millions into sponsorships, slapping its logo on UFC events, Formula 1 teams and even Everton Football Club.
Stake’s Wild Ride in the Gambling World
Despite its UK exit, Stake is still a major player globally. The mobile gambling app pioneered crypto gambling, offering games like Plinko, Mines and Dice.
Its success wasn’t just built on innovation but also on bold marketing. Stake shelled out millions for high-profile sponsorships, including a deal with Everton FC reportedly worth £10m a year.
The brand also roped in celebrities like Drake who frequently posts massive bets on the platform. But while its aggressive growth has paid off in some markets it has also brought regulatory headaches, especially in jurisdictions wary of crypto’s influence in gambling.
Stake’s Advertising Mishaps & Industry Crackdowns
This isn’t the first time a gambling company has found itself in hot water over marketing missteps. In 2022, Entain, the parent company of Ladbrokes, was fined £17m for failing to meet responsible gambling regulations standards. In 2021, Bet365 faced backlash for its sponsorship deals that critics claimed targeted underage audiences.
Stake meanwhile has been accused of encouraging users to use VPNs to access its services in restricted markets, adding to its growing list of controversies.
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