On 12 February 2025, the UK Gambling Commission announced that online betting site Stake.uk will cease trading in the UK market from 11 March 2025. This decision follows an investigation triggered by a controversial video posted on social networks.
Controversial video triggers investigation
The video in question, which was widely shared on the X platform (formerly Twitter) last December, featured an adult video actress sporting the Stake logo outside Nottingham Trent University. The advert provoked strong reactions, including from campaigners such as Will Prochaska, a member of the Coalition to Stop Gambling Ads. He stated:
“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.”
This is not the first time that Stake has found itself at the heart of a controversy linked to its advertising. Back in 2023, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), the UK’s advertising regulator, investigated images promoting Stake that were widely shared on the social network X. These publications displayed the brand’s logo in unregulated contexts, raising concerns about their potential appeal to young people and vulnerable gamblers.
TGP Europe Limited orders the closure of Stake.uk
TGP Europe Limited, the operator of Stake.uk under a ‘white-label’ agreement (a commercial partnership in which a company uses the licences and infrastructure of an authorised operator to offer its services under its own brand), has responded by announcing the closure of the site. In a statement, TGP said it would immediately stop accepting new registrations on Stake.uk.com and remove redirect links from the main Stake site. The complete closure of the UK site is scheduled for 11 March 2025.
The decision comes after a meeting between TGP and the Gambling Commission, at which concerns were raised about Stake.uk’s advertising practices.
Implications for sports partnerships
Stake is currently the main sponsor of English football club Everton, displaying its logo on the team’s shirts. The Gambling Commission has announced its intention to write to Everton, and two other football clubs with unlicensed sponsors, warning them of the risks of promoting unlicensed gambling sites.
The Commission will require clubs to prove that they have carried out due diligence on their white-label partners and ensure that UK consumers cannot access unlicensed sites. Clubs will need to demonstrate the effectiveness of geo-blocking measures in place, taking into account that some can be circumvented via tools such as virtual private networks (VPNs).
Club managers will be advised that they could be prosecuted and, if convicted, face a fine, imprisonment or both if they promote unlicensed gambling businesses operating in the UK.
Consequences for Stake.uk users
The Gambling Commission insists that when an operator leaves the UK market, an orderly closure of its site must be carried out, including the provision of clear information to consumers on how to reclaim their funds. Stake.uk customers are therefore encouraged to contact the operator via its website with any queries regarding their account and to withdraw their funds before the closure date of 11 March 2025.