A video that circulated on social media last week, reportedly showing a drone flying close to Drake's penthouse at Crown Sydney, was a staged promotion for the gambling brand Stake, according to a report by Casino.org published on 22 February 2025.
What the video showed
According to the report, the footage begins with Drake's laptop open to Stake. He notices the flying device, walks onto his balcony on a floor the report describes as in the 60s, and throws a sandal at the drone. A follow-up video reportedly claimed to find the orange sandal washed up near the casino resort.
Casino.org said the footage was staged and was part of a marketing gag for Stake. It also said social media users pointed out that the person operating the drone could be seen in a reflection in the penthouse glass. Drake appeared to confirm the stunt with his own caption on Instagram and TikTok:
"The stakes are high. But so am I," Drake captioned the video, according to Casino.org.
The report said Crown Sydney opened in December 2020 at a cost of more than $1.4 billion. It did not say whether Crown was involved in the stunt, and nothing in the source suggests it was.
Drake, Stake and the questions about his bets
Casino.org describes Stake as a crypto-based online casino and sports betting platform and groups it with the controversial online sweepstakes sector. That is the publication's characterisation. The source does not set out Stake's licensing, ownership or corporate base, so those details are not disclosed here.
The report says Drake habitually promotes Stake and likes to show off large bets, including more than $1 billion wagered over two months in early 2022. It says many fans have questioned whether he is gambling his own money or whether the bets form part of his sponsorship arrangement. The deal is estimated at more than $100 million, according to Casino.org. The report does not name the source of that estimate or specify the currency, and neither Drake nor Stake is quoted on the figure. Neither the sponsorship value nor the betting totals have been independently verified by Pokiestralia.
Drake is in Australia through 7 March for shows in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, the report said. It added that he spends much of his time off stage gambling and promoting Stake.
The Australian context
The source does not say whether Stake accepts Australian customers, whether it has been blocked by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), or whether the stunt was directed at an Australian audience. Those questions remain unanswered in the material provided.
What is clear is that online casino services are prohibited in Australia under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001. Consumer advocates have long raised concerns about marketing that presents gambling as part of a celebrity lifestyle and that may not be clearly labelled as advertising. Here, a video presented as a spontaneous incident was later identified as promotional content. The source says the footage was staged, but it does not say how, or whether, the posts were labelled as advertising.
Casino.org also reported that Drake's social media following has been declining since May 2024, citing data from Cases.gg, a platform that sells mystery boxes. That analysis is peripheral to the gambling issues and has not been verified.
People who are concerned about their gambling can contact Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858.