Stake, one of the largest and best known crypto gambling sites, and the front-of-shirt sponsor for Everton Football Club, has announced its departure from the UK market.
The decision follows a lengthy investigation by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC), who looked at a controversial social media advertisement using Stake’s branding. Due to the investigation, Stake’s UK platform, which is operated by TGP Europe Limited under a white-label agreement, will shut down by March 11th 2025.
How one social media advert spurred a lengthy investigation
The UKGC launched an inquiry after a widely shared video on social media displayed Stake’s logo—and it raised concerns about responsible gambling, something the UKGC has been very hot on in recent years. The video showed a well known adult entertainment actress outside Nottingham Trent University, and regulators were quick to question whether it complies with UK advertising standards.
Following discussions with the UKGC, TGP Europe Limited immediately ceased new customer registrations on Stake’s UK platform and removed redirection links to its main website. In a statement, the Commission made clear that when an operator exits the British market, as Stake is now doing, it expects the brand to ensure customers receive clear information on how to withdraw their funds, and when by.
In fact, this is not the first time TGP Europe has faced regulatory action in the UK. In April 2023, the company was fined £316,250 for anti-money laundering (AML) and social responsibility failures. The latest investigation highlights increasing regulatory pressure on gambling operators to ensure compliance with advertising and responsible gambling policies.
Stake’s shift in strategy and international expansion
Stake has framed its UK departure as part of a broader strategic shift rather than solely a response to regulatory scrutiny. The company stated that it has mutually agreed with TGP Europe to end white-label partnerships, instead, choosing to focus on securing local licenses through its own in-house platform.
This does seem to fit with what Stake has been doing in recent months. Just a few months ago, for example, the company received regulatory approval to operate in Brazil’s newly-regulated market, alongside other Latin American countries like Colombia and Peru.
Stake has also been working on expanding in Europe, having entered Italy in 2024 through its acquisition of Baldo Line and Idealbet.it. We’ve also seen the company moving into the Danish market, thanks to its acquisition of Mocinoplay.
What this means for affiliate marketers
Stake’s UK exit will have pretty significant implications for affiliates, especially those who’d chosen to focus on the growing crypto market. Not only will affiliates currently promoting Stake’s services to a UK audience need to remove their listings—they’ll also face a significant loss of earnings, as those same UK customers will no longer be able to play at Stake.
It shows why it’s so important to not put all of your eggs into one basket—and unfortunately, a lot of affiliates had chosen Stake as their featured UK brand, so a shift is needed to try to divert those players to other brands still operating in the UK market.
