Stake Canada Review: The World’s Largest Crypto Sportsbook Comes to Canadian Bettors

Stake is, by volume, one of the largest online sports betting and gaming platforms in the world — and one of the most polarising. Founded in 2017 by Ed Craven and Bijan Tehrani in Melbourne, Stake built its initial reputation as a cryptocurrency-native gaming platform before expanding into fiat currency markets and mainstream sports betting. By 2024, Stake had become the official betting partner of global sports properties including Everton FC in the Premier League, and was valued at approximately $1 billion by independent analysts — a figure that reflects the scale of its global operation even without AGCO licensing in Canada’s largest regulated market.

Stake operates Stake.com (the primary international platform) and Stake.us (a sweepstakes model for US users). For Canadian bettors, Stake.com is the relevant product — a full-service sportsbook and casino accepting both cryptocurrency and fiat currency deposits under a Curaçao eGaming licence. Stake is not licensed by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and does not operate within iGaming Ontario’s regulated framework.

What makes Stake genuinely interesting for Canadian sports bettors — beyond the crypto-native heritage — is the depth and quality of its sports betting product, which has evolved significantly from its gambling-focused origins into a sophisticated sportsbook with genuinely competitive vig, a vast market menu across sports and esports, and a live betting experience that independent reviewers consistently rate among the best of any global online book.

Background: Ed Craven, the Crypto Gambling Revolution, and Stake’s Scale

Stake’s origin story is inseparable from the cryptocurrency sports betting and gambling boom of 2017–2021. Ed Craven and Bijan Tehrani launched the platform as a provably fair crypto gambling operation — using blockchain transparency to verify game outcomes in a way that traditional RNG-based casinos could not. This technical credibility, combined with early adoption by high-profile streamers and social media personalities, created explosive growth that funded the expansion into traditional sports betting.

By 2022, Stake had processed over $1 trillion in cumulative wagers — a figure that dwarfs many of the world’s largest traditional sportsbooks and speaks to the scale of global crypto gambling volumes. The sports betting product was initially an add-on to the casino; by 2024 it had evolved into a primary offering, with Stake’s EPL partnership with Everton (secured in 2022) representing a mainstream-sports credibility signal that purely crypto-origin books had not previously achieved.

Stake operates under a Curaçao eGaming licence. Curaçao is a Caribbean island nation under the Dutch Kingdom that has issued online gaming licences since 1996. Curaçao licences are among the most commonly held by offshore sportsbooks serving global markets, and while Curaçao’s regulatory standards have historically been lighter than MGA or Kahnawake, the island has undergone significant regulatory reform since 2023, implementing stricter player protection and financial compliance requirements for licence holders. Stake’s scale and mainstream partnerships provide an additional credibility layer beyond the licence itself.

Sports Coverage and Market Depth: One of the Widest in the World

Stake’s sports menu is extraordinary in scope. The platform covers over 40 sports with depth that extends far beyond the North American-focused menu of most Canadian-facing books. This breadth is a genuine competitive differentiator — Canadian bettors who want to wager on events that no AGCO-licensed Ontario book prices will find Stake’s market depth remarkable.

NHL is fully covered with moneylines, puck lines, period betting, player props, and futures. Given Stake’s global orientation, NHL pricing is competitive but calibrated for an international betting audience rather than an exclusively Canadian one. For main market hockey lines, vig sits in the mid-tier range — comparable to a mid-tier Ontario book rather than Pinnacle or CoolBet level.

NFL and CFL are both present. NFL coverage is comprehensive and among the most popular verticals on the platform globally. CFL is covered but not at the depth of Bodog or 888sport — Grey Cup futures and main game lines are available, but player prop depth for Canadian football is more limited than on dedicated North American books.

NBA and MLB receive solid treatment with player prop availability above what most mid-tier Ontario books offer. Stake’s large international bettor base means NBA markets in particular draw significant volume, resulting in generally competitive pricing on main lines and a deep prop menu for individual games.

Soccer is where Stake’s global reach is most visible. EPL, Champions League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1, MLS, and dozens of lower-division and international competitions are covered in depth. The Everton FC partnership provides particular depth for Premier League coverage — Stake is one of the deepest soccer betting books available to Canadian bettors, with market menus on EPL games that exceed most AGCO-licensed Ontario options.

Esports is the category where Stake has no peer in the Canadian market. Counter-Strike 2, League of Legends, Dota 2, Valorant, Rocket League, and dozens of other esports titles are covered with depth that dwarfs any sportsbook operating in the Ontario regulated market. For Canadian bettors with serious esports wagering interests, Stake is in a different category from every AGCO-licensed competitor.

The Stake Originals section offers proprietary casino games built on provably fair blockchain technology — a product category unique to Stake that has no equivalent at any other Canadian-accessible sportsbook.

Odds Quality

Stake’s odds quality on major sports is competitive for a global recreational-facing platform. Independent margin analysis has measured approximately 5% to 6.5% on major North American league markets — standard for a recreational-first book and broadly comparable to mid-tier Ontario licensed options. On soccer and esports, where Stake’s betting volume is highest, margins are somewhat tighter — particularly for EPL main markets, where the global trading volume supports efficient pricing.

Stake is not the right choice for bettors whose primary consideration is minimising vig on North American sports. CoolBet, Pinnacle (AGCO-licensed for Ontario), or Bodog offer sharper pricing on hockey and football for bettors optimising on vig. Where Stake differentiates on price is in its crypto-native deposit and withdrawal structure — the absence of fiat processing fees, the speed of crypto transactions, and the access to cryptocurrency-denominated markets create a total cost of betting that is lower for crypto-native bettors than the nominal vig comparison suggests.

The Stake Boost programme provides regular odds enhancements on selected markets, and the platform maintains an active promotional calendar around major sporting events including EPL weekends, NBA playoffs, and Super Bowl.

Live Betting: Among the Best Globally

Stake’s live betting platform is genuinely exceptional and is consistently cited by independent reviewers as one of the best in-play experiences of any global online sportsbook. The live interface updates in near-real time, covers an extraordinary breadth of in-play markets, and handles the simultaneous live wagering of a global user base during peak events without suspension or lag.

Live markets extend well beyond standard in-game moneylines to include in-play player props, next-goal scorer markets, live corners and cards on soccer, and detailed quarter-by-quarter NBA markets. For soccer in particular, the live betting depth reflects Stake’s high European betting volume and the investments that come with it.

Live streaming is available for select events through Stake’s own streaming partnerships. The library is more extensive than many offshore books, covering select EPL, La Liga, and other major soccer competitions alongside tennis and some basketball. While not matching bet365’s streaming breadth, it is meaningfully above what most offshore books provide for Canadian users.

Cash out is fully integrated into the live betting interface, with real-time value updates and both full and partial cash-out available on qualifying markets. The cash-out interface is clean and responsive — a consistent quality standard across the platform.

The Stake App

Stake offers a dedicated mobile application available for both iOS and Android, in addition to a fully responsive mobile web experience. The app design follows Stake’s distinctive deep green and white colour scheme — immediately recognisable and clean in execution. All sportsbook, casino, and live betting features are available in the app without compromise.

App performance is strong, reflecting the engineering investment of a platform handling global-scale wagering volumes. The live betting section on mobile is particularly well-optimised — fast, clear, and responsive during high-volume match events. Face ID and two-factor authentication are supported for account security.

Deposits and Withdrawals: Crypto-Native With Fiat Support

Stake’s payment infrastructure is its most distinctive feature. Available cryptocurrencies include Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Dogecoin, Tron, XRP, Binance Coin, and numerous others — the broadest crypto payment menu of any Canadian-accessible sportsbook by a significant margin. Fiat currency support includes Visa, Mastercard, and Interac e-Transfer for Canadian users, providing practical accessibility for bettors who do not hold crypto.

The minimum deposit is $20 CAD for fiat methods, with cryptocurrency deposits processing instantly with no minimum. Crypto withdrawals are processed within hours in most cases — the fastest withdrawal option on the platform and a meaningful advantage over fiat processing timelines. Fiat Interac withdrawals typically take one to three business days.

One important practical note: Stake’s crypto-first design means the platform experience is most seamless for bettors who hold cryptocurrency. Fiat functionality is present and practical, but the platform’s features, promotional structure, and payout speed all favour crypto users. Canadian bettors evaluating Stake primarily as a fiat sportsbook may find the experience less differentiated from standard offshore alternatives than the platform’s broader reputation suggests.

Customer Support

Customer support is available via 24/7 live chat and a community forum and social media presence that reflects the platform’s social-first origins. Live chat connects to agents quickly and support quality is above average for an offshore operator of Stake’s scale. The Help Centre is comprehensive and covers platform features, crypto deposit processes, sports betting rules, and responsible gambling resources.

Stake maintains an active VIP programme with dedicated account managers for high-volume bettors — a support tier that provides meaningful personalised service for those who qualify. Phone support is not available, which is standard for crypto-native platforms.

Responsible Gambling

Stake implements responsible gambling tools including deposit limits, loss limits, time-outs, and self-exclusion, accessible from the account settings interface. The platform’s Curaçao licence requires compliance with player protection standards that have been strengthened under the 2023 regulatory reforms. Stake also maintains a dedicated responsible gambling page with resources and links to international support organisations.

Canadian bettors are encouraged to access support through Responsible Gambling Canada (responsiblegambling.org). The absence of AGCO oversight means the provincial support infrastructure available to Ontario residents under iGaming Ontario is not accessible via Stake.

Licensing and Regulatory Context

Stake operates under a licence issued by Curaçao eGaming. Stake is not licensed by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and does not operate within iGaming Ontario’s regulated framework. Curaçao’s 2023 regulatory reforms introduced stricter player protection and AML compliance requirements, and Stake’s scale, public profile, and mainstream sports partnerships provide additional credibility beyond the licence alone.

Canadian bettors should be aware that Curaçao’s consumer protection framework and dispute resolution processes are less robust than those available under MGA, Kahnawake, or AGCO licensing. Stake’s size and public accountability — including its Premier League sponsorship obligations — provide meaningful accountability not present with smaller Curaçao-licensed operators, but the regulatory floor is lower than with provincial or EU regulation.

The Verdict

Stake is the right choice for a specific Canadian bettor profile: one who holds or is comfortable with cryptocurrency, wants access to the deepest esports market available in Canada, values exceptional live betting quality, or wants to bet seriously on EPL and European soccer at a book where that volume creates competitive pricing. For crypto-native bettors, Stake’s instant deposits, near-instant crypto withdrawals, and total absence of fiat processing fees make it a uniquely frictionless option. The platform’s scale, mainstream sports partnerships, and engineering investment in its live betting product produce a betting experience that competes with the best AGCO-licensed Ontario books on product quality even without provincial licensing. Ontario bettors who require the consumer protection of AGCO licensing should use regulated alternatives; informed Canadian bettors comfortable with the Curaçao regulatory context and attracted by the crypto infrastructure, esports depth, and live betting quality will find Stake one of the most technically impressive sportsbooks available in the Canadian market.