Stake calls themselves “America’s Favorite Social Casino and Poker”, a claim I’d be calling bullshit on if it weren’t for their reputation. Even if you’re not a gambler, you’ve probably heard the platform being promoted by internet influencers and even more traditional celebrities. The website gets over 30 million visitors a month, and I don’t think that number even includes players who stick to the app. They say Vegas has been struggling in recent years, and I wonder how much the popularity of Stake plays into that.
It’d be a mistake to lump Stake.us in with the online casinos that you may have been visiting for decades now. This is a 21st century internet gambling platform that builds on what the older sites were offering, giving gamblers a whole new set of risks and rewards to light up your brains and fatten your wallets, at least if you’re lucky. Just based on the traffic alone, I know there’s a lot of luck to be had within, so let’s go looking for some, shall we?
Who’s Up for a Little Wager?
One of the big advantages to choosing Stake over a more traditional online casino is that Stake has an official app available for both iOS and Android. Web-based options are always mobile friendly these days, but a dedicated app can make for a more natural, native experience. For this review, I’m mostly sticking to the web-based version because it’s a little more convenient to write while using it.
Another big advantage, at least for American players, is they welcome gamblers from the USA. I know some of you use VPNs to access online casinos that technically don’t want you to play, but you’re potentially putting your winnings at stake. That ain’t the case with Stake, unless you’re in one of the states that has blocked access. California just got restricted a week ago, joining the ranks of states like Arizona, Connecticut and Delaware.
Signup is free, easy and fairly quick, but you do have to verify your account before you can start playing. They sent me a link via text message, then I had to snap a photo of my ID and another of my sexy self. It’s a mild inconvenience and a slight intrusion into my privacy, but at the same time, it put me at ease in certain ways. As an official, verified player, I’m less worried about my winnings magically disappearing as they have on a couple of the sketchier platforms over the years.
As one of the most popular gambling platforms in the world right now, it should come as no surprise that Stake.us offers excellent banking options for both crypto nerds and traditional money gamblers. I prefer the convenience of being able to use Apple Pay, Google Pay and regular credit/debit cards instead of dealing with crypto, but I certainly appreciate the versatility.
This is usually the part of the review where I tell you about the fat welcome bonuses you get with your first deposit, which has been a standard perk among online casinos for years. I was surprised to find that Stake doesn’t double or triple your starting wallet like the other guys, perhaps because they’re already so fucking popular.
That said, make sure you check out the promotions page like you would anywhere else. While I’m bummed they don’t have the typical welcome bonus, they do have a nice selection of promos going on at any moment. A lot of these are game-based, like their poker treasure hunt and a VIP boost on Stake slots and burst games, as well as regular jackpots and challenges.
Get a Load of All These Games
If you’re a regular online gambler, you already know that reputable casinos tend to offer games from the same handful of reputable publishers. Stake.us is working with the usual respected companies, but
they’ve got a growing selection of exclusive games. There are nearly 700 games in their Only on Stake collection, with a lot of overlap into their other categories.
As expansive as the exclusive catalog is, it’s all but a slice of this big-ass gambling pie. There are over 2500 slots, again from major publishers like Hacksaw Gaming, Nolimit City and Pragmatic Play. There are slots with every theme imaginable, with the most popular games at the top of the list. Nearly 300 players are spinning their way through Dojo Duel as I type this up on a Tuesday afternoon.
They also take a unique approach to some of the most all-time popular casino games. Instead of just getting them from third-party publishers like most online gambling dens, they’ve created their own set of Stake Originals. There are 30 original variants of casino standards like blackjack, plinko, dice, roulette and keno, plus more modern distractions like chicken, snakes and mines.
Burst is a big deal at Stake.us, too. If you’ve never played, it’s similar to blackjack in that you’re trying to score as high as you can without going over. It’s simple, addictive and potentially profitable as hell, and Stake’s got nearly 200 variations themed around everything from fishing to car racing to flinging CEOs out of an airplane. Dropping your boss from great heights could result in all kinds of serious charges in real life, but here, you just might win some cold, hard cash.
Going Live and Winning Big
I feel like poker fans are oddly underserved on a lot of online casinos, but that ain’t the case here.
Stake has a nice spread of poker games, including Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and a video poker that rolls some slot machine fun into the whole thing. The leaderboard is a little bit intimidating when you see how much people are winning, though you certainly don’t have to be a high roller if you’ve got more of a humble budget. You need to work your way up to those levels!
If Stake poker ain’t your thing, no worries, because they’ve got more than 50 live dealer games available. Blackjack and roulette are the most popular right now, with various versions of the two games occupying most of the top slots on the list. There are also games like sic bo, baccarat, and war, and I wouldn’t be too surprised to see them adding new ways to risk and win money. That’s kind of the whole point of the platform.
If I have just one complaint about Stake, it’s that I really wish there were a sportsbook. The platform has basically everything else a gambler could want, so the ability to wager on your favorite teams would truly make this a one-stop-shop for all your betting needs. Betting on random shit has been blowing up lately on platforms like Polymarket, and I’d love to see the same thing integrated here.
In the meantime, I’m checking out the latest game releases on Stake. There’s a new slot machine from Hacksaw Gaming called Le Fisherman that has over 500 players right now. I checked out the big numbers on the big wins page, and now I’d like to be one of those big winners. I can’t do that while I’m busy writing a review, though, so I’m sure you’ll understand when I say I need to wrap this up.
Stake.us has been spending a shitload of money on promotion, which has made them one of the most popular gambling apps at the start of 2026. While the advertising campaign has been wildly successful, the platform doesn’t owe their growing status entirely to hype alone. The ads might draw in the curious, but it’s the wealth of games, the regularity of payouts and the simplicity of use that keeps players hooked. If you’re looking to spin some slots while you’re on the toilet or play poker during office meetings, this may well be one of the best places to do so. Are you game?
