Stake Review

Ready, Set, Stake!

Sports betting have existed since the early internet, with digital slots and poker available since the early 2000s. Since then, online platforms have expanded to include live dealers and additional games like poker and blackjack. Stake, founded in 2022, is the latest evolution of internet betting. In a short time, Stake has become one of the world's most popular online betting platforms, harnessing the power of blockchain and cryptocurrency to provide betting on a global scale. As with any casino, Stake utilizes its own currency in the form of “Gold Coins,” which betters can purchase through cryptocurrencies. A bit shiner than regular casino chips, eh? Players can use Gold Coins to participate in Stake’s games. The platform’s other currency is “Stake Cash.” However, players can’t purchase Stake Cash with their own money. Instead, Stake Cash is earned through bonuses and challenges, which this review covers later. In a way, it’s kind of like free money! Once a player earns enough Stake Cash, they can convert it into Gold Coins. Stake’s various games are themed to attract different types of players. Themes range from the more general, such as seasons and animals, to the more specific, like Egyptian or farming.

Armchair analyst to betting pro: sports betting on Stake

Stake also offers sports betting. Users can bet on various sports, such as cricket, football, basketball, baseball, hockey, and even esports. Stake’s sports betting section carries many features from its casino side, such as its sidebar and game navigation. However, the sports side also provides the most popular live and upcoming sports events in a convenient schedule format. Stake ensures you’ll never miss a game!

Betting on the go: Stake use on mobile

Stake does not have a dedicated mobile app on iOS or Android. That said, the platform is fully usable on mobile devices through a web browser. Stake’s mobile offering is optimized to run well on iOS and Android devices. It offers the same features as a desktop, enabling users to participate in betting and chat on the go — great while at a sports bar with your buds. Not only this, but Stake offers occasional mobile-only promotions and offers for users to take advantage of.

What’s in it for me? Stake bonuses

Unlike many of its competitors, Stake does not offer a general welcome bonus to its customers. Yet, it does balance this out by offering all sorts of other bonuses. Examples of Stake’s bonuses include daily races (the only race you’ll ever win while sitting down), the platform’s weekly raffle, or bonus drops, depending on the game. Many of its slot machines provide free spins as well. Stake constantly promotes new bonuses and offers, and it only takes a keen eye to find them. Betters can also engage in game-specific challenges for additional rewards. Challenges have varying criteria, often requiring betters to hit a specific multiplier with their minimum bet. Challenges may reward Stake Cash or Gold Coins. Stake also has a fleshed-out affiliate program, where users can create a referral link and share it with others to receive a commission. Users only receive a commission if someone clicks on their link, signs up to the platform, and places bets. Fortunately, the referrer receives a commission whether or not their referred user wins or loses.

Stake as a casino

The Stake casino requires little effort to navigate. Its user interface features a sidebar with links to all its game types, a user’s favorites, and an area to switch between casino and sports betting. This sidebar also includes links to the platform’s blog, various promotions and sponsorships, and live support. Players can search for games using the main page’s search bar and view the most popular lobbies. Gamblers can scroll beneath the live stream to view the game’s rules, paytable, and the current session’s big winners when playing the games. For additional convenience, the stream player features a theater mode, full-screen capabilities, and a live stats pop-up that details the gamblers' current play information. Users can participate in the platform’s live chat via its right sidebar. Chat is restricted to logged-in users, but it’s a site-wide feature. Most of the platform’s pages include a site-wide leaderboard that reveals every game’s highest rollers, bet and pay amounts and multipliers. This transparency means players can see the platform’s highest earners and strive to make it there themselves. Stake is built in Adobe Flash, and users report experiencing minimal loading times or lag. It doesn’t take long to create an account and start betting. The platform operates exclusively in dark mode, likely to contrast against the bright lights and colors emanating from its many games.

Fairness and randomness on Stake

According to its Fairness policy, Stake operates under provable fairness. It achieves this through a commitment scheme, which requires the platform to commit to its choices as verifiable through cryptography. This verification and random number generation capabilities ensure that once Stake’s algorithm creates randomness, the platform cannot alter it after the fact. Stake publicly provides its code and algorithms in its website’s “Fairness” section, allowing users to verify the platform’s claims.

Supported currencies on Stake

As of May 2024, Stake supports the following cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin (BTC) Ethereum (ETH) Litecoin (LTC) Dogecoin (DOGE) Bitcoin Cash (BCH) Ripple (XRP) Tron (TRX) EOS (EOS) Tether (USDT) Binance Coin (BNB) Cronos (CRO) USD Coin (USDC) ApeCoin (APE) Binance USD (BUSD) Dai (DAI) Chainlink (LINK) The Sandbox (SAND) Shiba Inu (SHIB) Uniswap (UNI) Polygon (MATIC) As for traditional currencies, Stake supports funding one’s account through most local currencies in available countries via Moonpay.

Stake payment methods

Through Moonpay, users can add funds to their Stake accounts through these methods: PayPal transfer Apple Pay Google Pay SEPA & Sepa Instant transfers PIX Credit/debit card Crypto transfer

Stake’s stash: storage on Stake

Stake stores funds of all types in its Vault, which requires an additional form of 2FA for extra security. Not only is the Vault where one will access their currencies, but it also stores rewards, prizes, and giveaways. However, it’s worth noting that Vault storage on stake is hot storage, meaning it’s always online and susceptible to bad actors. The platform does not offer a form of cold storage.

History of Stake

Stake is licensed in Curaçao and authorized to operate in many countries according to those countries’ local regulations. For example, Great Britain's Gambling Commission regulates Stake in the United Kingdom. At the same time, Stake in Columbia is licensed and regulated under Columbia’s government, with a license issuance under Coljuegos. In terms of crypto, Stake is verified through the Crypto Gambling Foundation network. The Crypto Gambling Foundation aims to advocate for crypto-gambling platforms, verifying their security and ensuring their policies are genuinely fair.

Stake customer support

Stake offers multiple customer support methods. First, the platform has an in-depth help center with articles catering to frequently asked questions surrounding deposits, betting, game rules, and more. From there, it has 24/7 live support with agents ready to answer direct questions through the platform’s messaging system. Users looking to learn Stake’s many games can read the rules underneath each game’s live stream while playing or view Stake’s in-depth “How-to” guides in the website’s blog section. The platform also partners with Gaming Addicts Anonymous for those who need help with gambling and betting addiction. Stake advertises a link to Gaming Addicts Anonymous all over the website and occasionally reminds betters of its existence should they need assistance. Of course, players in the VIP club experience increased customer support with their dedicated VIP host. The VIP host can answer various questions without requiring the player to use live chat or sift through the platform’s Help Center. While waiting for support answers, users can browse Stake’s forums or Telegram channel to interact with the community and ask questions. Chances are, if one user experienced an issue, another has made a forum post about it in the past.

Conclusion

It’s impossible to deny Stake’s prevalence in the online gaming and betting space. Seriously — it’s everywhere. The website has made a massive name for itself since 2022, and for good reason. It offers a wide variety of card and dice games for playing, as well as an extensive sports betting section — and due to its many licenses, these options are available to players worldwide. Stake also rewards its most dedicated players with frequent bonuses and promotions despite its lack of a welcome bonus like many of its contemporaries. It also provides extensive support options, such as how-to guides, game rules, and explanations of its technology and randomness. For those who need it, Stake promotes Gaming Addicts Anonymous across its website to remind betters that help is always just around the corner. Overall, we give Stake a 9.0/10.