Stake Review

Review

by the bitcoinesport editorial desk · review version 3 · prose updated 2026-10-04 · facts as of 2026-10-04 · how we verify

Overview

Stake is the largest crypto-first operator in this comparison set. First-party facts (live site, checked 2026-10-04): the footer names "Medium Rare N.V., registration number: 145353, registered address: Seru Loraweg 17 B, Curaçao" with "payment agent companies ... Medium Rare Limited and MRS Tech Limited", and the live ToS quotes the license: "Medium Rare N.V. is licensed by the Curaçao Gaming Authority under license number OGL/2024/1451/0918." The homepage schema states foundingDate 2017 with founders Ed Craven and Bijan Tehrani - so "since 2017" now rests on a first-party source, not on common knowledge.

Esports & Odds

Stake runs a dedicated /sports/esports vertical; the 2026-09-26 pass documented dedicated league and match markets with live events (146 live at snapshot), and esports sponsorships (Team Vitality CS2, Astralis). Bet types documented: match winner, map winner, handicap, totals, props, outrights, live, specials, parlays; cashout and streaming exist per the same pass.

Odds margin: our only sample comes from a Wayback snapshot of stake.com/sports/esports dated 2026-02-21: three two-way markets at 5.8%, 7.1% and 8.2%, around 7% mid. That is an archived sample, not a live measurement - the live margins may differ and are only readable in the app. The source label states this explicitly.

Deposits & Withdrawals

The live homepage schema (checked 2026-10-04) lists 20 accepted cryptocurrencies: BTC, ETH, BCH, LTC, DOGE, XRP, TRX, EOS, USDT, BNB, CRO, USDC, APE, DAI, LINK, SAND, SHIB, UNI, MATIC, SOL. The operator still labels Polygon as MATIC (the pre-rebrand ticker); our table keeps the operator's label and shows POL next to it. Earlier "21 coins" claims came from a September 2026 archive; the live page shows 20 today.

Withdrawals: no published processing-time SLA exists. The operator's help center documents a hard rule worth knowing before any deposit: "Every deposit made on Stake.com must be wagered 100% before withdrawals or tips can be made" (checked 2026-09-26). The live ToS (8.12) reserves "additional KYC verification procedures for any withdrawal". Reddit reports of large withdrawals pending for more than a week exist as a single-case, unverified report (August 2026) - we keep the pattern on file labeled as such, without asserting it as typical.

Trust & Access

KYC: ToS 4.8 reserves the right to request KYC documentation "at any time", with 8.12 tying additional verification to withdrawals (live, 2026-10-04). Signup is email-based; not tested end-to-end from this server.

Access rules are strict and quotable: ToS 14.3 lists the Prohibited Jurisdictions, including the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands and roughly 40 more countries/regions; 14.4 declares that manipulating your location "through the use of VPN, proxy, or similar services ... with the intent to circumvent geo-blocking" is a breach. VPN use is therefore prohibited by contract - a change from the previous "unknown" status, driven by the quoted clause.

Bonuses

No standard deposit-match welcome bonus: the help center documents a "Welcome Offer" redeemed via affiliate offer codes (updated 2026-08-24), plus ongoing promos - rakeback, weekly/monthly VIP bonuses, a $100k daily race, weekly raffles (documented 2026-09-26). Affiliate posts advertising "up to 200%" deals are affiliate claims; terms are not visible without an account, so no number beyond the documented structure is asserted here.

Reputation & Red Flags

Trustpilot shows 3.9/5 from 11,944 reviews (fetched 2026-10-04) - the largest review base in this set. The operator's homepage claims a share of global bitcoin transactions (5.9%) - a self-claim without a public methodology, kept out of the verdict math. No hard red flags (theft, unpaid balances, license fraud) are on file; the single-case withdrawal report and the archived-only odds sample are the open items.

Verdict

Esports-first crypto book with 20 documented coins - the largest crypto-first operator in this set. Deep vertical, strong UX, now with first-party-verified license number and founding date. Costs: VPN use is contractually prohibited, a 100% deposit playthrough gates every withdrawal, and payout speed has no published SLA. Fine for players in allowed jurisdictions who accept opaque payout timing; read clauses 14.3/14.4 before traveling.

Stake FAQ

Is Stake legit?

Based on our checks as of 2026-10-04: Stake scores 7.2/10 in our weighted review. License status is documented in the facts table. No red flags on file - current watch items are listed under "What to watch" in the review above. Player reports and operator background are documented with dated sources in the meta-review below.

Does Stake accept Bitcoin?

Yes. Bitcoin leads the 20 coins documented on the live homepage schema (checked 2026-10-04).

Is Stake licensed?

The live ToS names Curaçao license OGL/2024/1451/0918 for operator Medium Rare N.V. (reg. 145353) - quoted 2026-10-04.

Does Stake require KYC?

The ToS reserves KYC checks at any time (4.8) and additional verification for any withdrawal (8.12). Signup is email-based; untested end-to-end.

How fast are Stake withdrawals?

No published SLA. The documented hard rule: every deposit must be wagered 100% before withdrawal or tips. Reports of multi-day waits exist but are single-case and unverified.

Is VPN allowed on Stake?

No - ToS 14.4 declares VPN/proxy use to circumvent geo-blocking a breach (live 2026-10-04). 14.3 lists the prohibited jurisdictions incl. the US and UK.

What is the Stake welcome bonus?

No standard deposit match: a "Welcome Offer" via affiliate codes plus rakeback/VIP promos per the operator help center (2026-08-24/2026-09-26).

Which esports titles does Stake cover?

Documented vertical: CS2, LoL, Dota 2, Valorant, R6, CoD, Rocket League, MLBB, Apex, Overwatch, King of Glory (2026-09-26 pass).