Online gambling came into existence in the mid-90s. The first real-money online casino commenced its operations around 1995. Two years later, there were over 200 online establishments licensed to offer online casino services. Today, there are thousands of such brands in the gambling industry contributing to a market size of over USD$57B. Experts project this value will reach USD$153B by 2030.
The rise of the internet triggered the growth of the first few online casinos in the 20th century. However, you can attribute the popularity of online casinos today to the adoption of modern technological features. Unlike two decades ago, online gaming today tries to replicate what brick-and-mortar casinos offer to their clients.
As the industry becomes more competitive, there are still many companies looking to get into this business. One of the most notable recent entrants is Stake.com. Stake.com has risen from its simple beginnings in 2017 into the world’s largest crypto casino and sportsbook. So much so that the company now sponsors professional football teams, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) events, and other high-profile celebrities.
So how did Stake.com build a live casino empire in this competitive field within a short period? Here’s the story of one of the most famous crypto gambling brands.
Stake.com’s historic entry
Easygo Gaming founders Edward Craven and Bijan Tehrani are the brains behind Stake.com. The company made its first appearance in the world of online gambling in 2017. It’s currently owned and operated by Medium Rare N.V., a company headquartered in Curacao. Stake.com is currently licensed and regulated by the Curacao eGaming License Validation.
Stake.com is predominantly a crypto betting site, which means it mostly has crypto-based payment methods. There are many cryptocurrencies accepted on the company’s gambling platform. However, Bitcoin remains the most preferred digital currency in the sports betting and casino sections.
The crypto gambling giant is licensed to offer its services across the globe. But it hasn’t penetrated some territories due to gambling restrictions. Some of these locations include the Netherlands, France, the USA, Syria, and North Korea.
The United Kingdom also has the same restrictions, but UK authorities allowed the company to operate in the country in December 2021. Stake.com currently operates in the UK under the regulations of the UK Gambling Commission. You can now access Stake UK through Stake.uk.com.
Games offered by Stake.com
One of the main factors that contributed to Stake.com’s growth over the past few years is the abundance of games they offer. Given that is what many gamblers consider when choosing a gambling platform, it’s no surprise that Stake.com has attracted millions of users every year.
With over 40 live dealer games, including exclusive titles, Stake has quickly become one of the most popular live casinos in the world with a variety of game shows and table games available. These live casino games are most popular with live streamers who broadcast their winnings in real time to their viewers.
Here are the main game categories available on Stake’s website:
- Baccarat
- Blackjack
- Game shows
- Jackpot slots
- Live casino
- Roulette
- Slots
- Table Games
In addition to these games, Stake.com also has a variety of other games unique to its platform. They include Crash, Keno, Dice, Limbo, Hilo, Mines, Scarab Spin, Blue Samurai, Slide, Wheel, and Video Poker. Remember that these games have a fair probability, which is another feature the company leverages.
Gamblers can also bet on different sports. Football events are among the most popular in this category. You can back your favorite English Premier League (EPL) team or choose a match from other competitions like the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, La Liga, and Serie A. There are also a lot of other options if you’re a tennis, cricket, or basketball fan.
How popular is Stake.com’s live casino?
Today, when you search live crypto casinos on Google, Stake.com is among the top results. It’s even more amazing when you imagine that the crypto-betting company is barely five years old. What are some of the strategies used by Stake.com to popularize its live casino empire? Here are five main marketing techniques Stake.com employed:
Developed an innovative platform
The iGaming world has become very competitive as more brands have joined the industry. But as internet access expands across the globe, the number of online gamers also keeps growing. This is good news for many online gambling sites, but that’s no guarantee of their success. Stake.com went a step further and created a platform that meets the current consumer needs.
Stake’s live casino games have a similar experience to traditional casinos. Rather than playing individually like in most online casinos, punters can play other punters on Stake’s live dealer studio. Players can now experience a physical casino in the comfort of their living rooms.
Not to say these live casinos can replace their traditional counterparts, but Stake.com has built a platform that can rival any company in the iGaming industry. This effort is complemented by the fact that Stake.com’s main payment method is cryptocurrency.
Leveraged the power of crypto gambling
In its first few years in this field, Stake.com supported eight different cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin was one of the most used digital currencies on the platform. The fact that Stake.com opted for crypto gambling played a significant role in its growth as a live casino empire.
During Stake’s debut year, ‘crypto betting’ was still an unpopular term in the gambling world. In fact, the company launched its operations only five years after the first ever Bitcoin-based casino transaction. However, the concept of cryptocurrency spread rapidly in 2017. That contributed to the popularity of crypto gambling and, by extension, Stake’s visibility.
Stake.com has recently increased the number of supported digital currencies by 11. Here is a list of all 19 cryptocurrencies that gamblers can use on Stake.com:
- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Litecoin (LTC)
- Dogecoin (DOGE)
- Tron (TRX)
- EOS (EOS)
- Ripple (XRP)
- Bitcoin Cash (BCH)
- Tether (USDT)
- Binance Coin (BNB)
- USD Coin (USDC)
- ApeCoin (APE)
- Binance USD (BUSD)
- Dai (DAI)
- Chainlink (LINK)
- The Sandbox (SAND)
- Shiba Inu (SHIB)
- Uniswap (UNI)
- Polygon (MATIC)
Adding more crypto payment options to its platform is a great strategy by the Curacao-based online gambling company. This move will attract more players with an explosion of new cryptocurrency users.
Partnered with Twitch broadcasts
Twitch is a free video-streaming service that streamers use to showcase their skills in various fields. The platform is home to over 30 million daily users, with a majority streaming online gaming. Twitch also hosts nearly 9.2 million active streamers worldwide every month.
Statistics also show that most Twitch users spend at least 20 hours weekly on the platform. It’s also worth noting that about half of the daily viewers watch content related to gaming. As such, it makes Twitch has become an excellent platform for brands targeting the modern generation. Stake.com spotted this opportunity and leveraged it in its online casino.
In a bid to appeal to the Twitch masses, Stake.com brought on board a few influencers. These Twitch streamers streamed live videos of them placing bets on Stake’s live casinos. This has since proven to be a very effective strategy, given the type of viewership Twitch boasts.
There are many prominent personalities that have partnered with the company. So far, the top streamer in their ranks is the proverbial king of Twitch, Felix ‘xQc’ Lengyel. Tyler ‘Trainwrecks’ Niknam and Adin Ross are other notable names, but perhaps the biggest of them all is Drake’s channel, StakeDrake.
Drake joined in on the action in early 2022 when he took his Stake.com betting sessions to millions of his followers on his Instagram. He also made his appearance known on Twitch’s gambling meta section through the Stake-sponsored channel, StakeDrake. Drake streams live casino roulette tables and some sports bets on this Amazon-owned platform. Although he’s only hosted a couple of streams on the channel, you can’t ignore his impact on Stake.com.
Stake.com’s decision to invest in Twitch broadcasts has borne fruit with the crypto gambling giant attracting more prospects. Stake.com currently has over five million users on its website.
Partnered with celebrities
Twitch isn’t the only reason why Stake.com’s live casino empire has grown tremendously. The world’s largest crypto casino has also partnered with several celebrities since its inception. You already know about Drake. However, the Canadian rapper is just part of a growing list of renowned names that have partnered with Stake.com recently.
Partnering with celebrities to push brand awareness isn’t a novel idea. Think of the countless commercials you’ve seen over time. However, Stake.com took the concept to the next level by partnering with famous personalities in multiple industries. Partnering with celebrities across industries ensures many people can recognize their brand.
Here is a list of popular Stake.com partners:
- Sergio ‘Kun’ Agüero
Sergio Agüero is a legendary striker who played for the EPL club Manchester City, scoring 260 goals in 389 appearances. He later moved to Spain to play for the Spanish La Liga giants Barcelona before hanging his boots in 2021.
The Argentinian superstar is currently involved in many football-related projects. He signed a partnership deal with Stake.com in 2022 as its global representative. Stake’s move came after they decided to get more involved in sports, particularly football. More on this later in the article.
- UFC stars
Stake.com also has some UFC stars on its partnership portfolio. Israel Adesanya became the first mixed martial artist to sign this type of deal with a crypto-betting company. The multi-year agreement will enhance Stake.com’s visibility within the UFC community. Alexa Grasso and Francis Ngannou are other UFC superstars that have partnered with Stake.com.
- Formula One superstars
The company also extended its individual partnership deals to the glamorous world of Formula One (F1) racing. Stake.com signed a deal with Pietro Fittipaldi in 2022. This partnership deal marked Stake’s entry into the racing industry as they also secured another ambassador in Enzo Fittipaldi. The Fittipaldi brothers will be the crypto betting firm’s representatives in Brazil.
Sponsored sports events
Stake.com has also leveraged the power of sports sponsorships to advertising its brand. Although these are more related to the sports betting section, they’ve also greatly impacted the growth of Stake’s live casino. Investing in these sponsorships increases brand awareness, boosting site traffic.
The company has invested in many notable deals in recent months. Perhaps some of the most newsworthy partnerships are those with the UFC and English football clubs Watford F.C. and Everton F.C. in the English Football League Championship (EFL) and EPL respectively. Stake.com became UFC’s official betting partner in Asia and Latin America, a deal they signed in 2021. In 2022, Stake.com rebuilt the deal to include Brazil.
Stake’s involvement in sports intensified when it added Watford and Everton on its list of partners. Sponsoring the two English football clubs gives Stake.com an excellent platform to market its products to the world. In these multi-million deals, Stake will have its logo front and center on the players’ shirts during matches.
The crypto betting giant has also sponsored several individual sporting events.
Conclusion
Stake.com is one of the most popular crypto betting platforms on the internet today, becoming a household name among online gambling enthusiasts. The company first came into existence in 2017 and hasn’t looked back since. Stake.com used several strategies to reach five million registered users and billions in transactions.
Of course, the first thing that has attracted many gamblers is the impressive live casino platform. The innovative features have greatly affected the overall online casino gaming experience for many users. Stake.com accepting cryptocurrencies have also contributed to their climb to the top.
Partnerships with various celebrities are another factor no one can overlook when discussing Stake.com’s live casino empire. Drake, Kun Agüero, and Israel Adesanya are some of the notable personalities that have boosted the popularity of this company. Recent sponsorship deals with football clubs Everton and Watford have also played a vital role. Suffice it to say, Stake.com’s meteoric rise appears limitless.
