Renowned online gambling operator Stake officially launched in Mexico on Monday.
The company confirmed in a release that its stake.mx sites will operate with a permit under the regulatory oversight of SEGOB (the Mexican Ministry of Interior), acting as an agent under the licensing agreement of intermediary firm Uno Capali.
Stake said the set-up ensures compliance with local regulatory requirements while enabling it to establish a scalable and locally aligned presence and expand its regulated presence in the Americas. Stake already operates in Latin American markets including Brazil, Colombia and Peru.
Mexico ‘a natural fit’ for Stake
The launch establishes Stake’s authorized presence in Mexico just five weeks before the country co-hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup in June and July. Mexico kicks off the tournament on June 11 vs. South Africa at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City (pictured above).
The company said that Mexico’s sports-led betting culture and high mobile penetration make it “a natural fit” for its platform.
“Mexico is an important and exciting market for us – one that combines strong underlying growth with a deep cultural connection to sport, which aligns perfectly with what Stake is built for,” said Stake Director Jarrod Febbraio. “We’ve built significant momentum across Latin America in recent years, including in markets such as Peru and Colombia, and Mexico represents a natural next step given its scale and long-term potential.
“With Mexico set to co-host the 2026 football World Cup tournament, the timing of this launch reflects our ability to move with precision into high-value markets at the right moment. It gives us the opportunity to establish a strong presence ahead of one of the biggest sporting events in the world and deliver a world-class experience for Mexican players.”
Stake.us is a prominent unregulated operator in the US
Cryptocurrency-focused Stake describes itself as “the world’s most popular online casino and sportsbook”. Founded in 2017, it claims to have 80 million monthly visits and process more than 100 billion bets per year.
While it now has legitimacy in Mexico, Stake is not licensed as a sportsbook or casino in any U.S. state or the other World Cup co-hosting country, Canada.
The Stake.us platform, a Stake.com subsidiary that offers sweepstakes-style gaming, has been the subject of numerous attempted enforcement measures in recent years, including cease-and-desist notices from states including:
It reportedly shut down or scaled back operations in numerous states as a result of the scrutiny on its operations. As one example, Tennessee’s Attorney General said in late December that Stake.us was one of almost 40 sites hit with cease-and-desist letters and that it had ceased operating in the state.
Stake.us lists a total of 19 states as prohibited territories:
- Arizona
- California
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Idaho
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New York
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Tennessee
- Vermont
- Washington
- West Virginia
Stake.us has also been a defendant in numerous class-action lawsuits across the U.S. that alleged that it offers illegal gambling in various states, including California, Illinois, and Missouri.
Stake is also one of the largest unregulated operators in Canada. H2 Gambling Capital data provided to SBC last year suggested it has the second-largest market share of any unlicensed online gambling brand in Canada. People located in Ontario who try to access Stake.us or Stake.com receive a notice that the platforms are unavailable due to local regulations.
Stake currently has an application pending with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) to offer Stake.ca as a licensed online casino and sportsbook in the province, and says that it will launch in 2026.
