Is Stake Safe? Protections in Place and the Risks in India

Protections and risks at a glance

Safety here splits into two questions: what the operator puts in place, and what Indian law means for a player. The table sets the two side by side.

Each area below sets out the clauses and tools behind its row.

Licence and operator: is Stake legit?

Clause 1.1 of the Terms names Medium Rare N.V., registered in Curaçao under No. 145353, as owner and operator. The same clause cites Curaçao Gaming Authority licence OGL/2024/1451/0918.

The current status of that licence should be checked in the regulator's public register. A Curaçao licence does not authorise online money gaming in India; the details sit on legal status in India and operator details.

Account security tools

Clause 4.17 of the Terms recommends two-factor authentication. Four tools protect the account and the balance.

Provably fair games

Stake Originals use a provably fair system: the result combines the operator's hashed input with the player's own input. Each round can be checked after the seed changes, on the site or with third-party tools.

The operator is listed as a verified operator by the Crypto Gambling Foundation. Seeds, hashes and the checking steps are explained under provably fair; every game still carries a house edge.

KYC, anti-money laundering and player funds

Clause 4.8 lets the operator ask for identity documents at any time and restrict payments until identity is confirmed. All transactions are checked to prevent money laundering under clause 8.13, and the operator publishes a separate Anti-Money Laundering policy.

• clause 8.1: withdrawals wait until identity is verified and the receiving account belongs to the player;
• clause 9.1: player deposits and winnings sit in separate customer bank accounts and crypto wallets;
• clause 14.2: the service is not offered to people on sanctions or watch lists;
• clause 4.4: players must be 18 or the age of majority under their law, whichever is higher.

Documents accepted for India include PAN, Aadhaar and Voter's EPIC, as listed in the verification guide.

Complaints and disputes

Clause 23 sends complaints first to support@stake.com within six months of the incident. Receipt is confirmed in writing within one week.

Unresolved disputes can go to CADRE B.V., an alternative dispute resolution body certified by the Curaçao Gaming Authority. The courts of Curaçao remain a separate option under clause 25.

Risks for players in India

Since 1 May 2026 the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 bans offering, advertising and paying for online money games. The Act applies to services run from outside India.

• section 7 bars banks and payment handlers from processing such payments, so deposits and withdrawals can be declined;
• section 14 allows sites to be blocked, and access can stop without notice;
• the operator holds no Indian authorisation, so no Indian regulator handles complaints;
• withdrawals depend on wagering each deposit 100% and passing KYC;
• clause 8.2 lets the operator delay withdrawals during an investigation;
• winnings are taxed at 30% under Indian tax law.

The Act sets no penalty for playing. Court cases and penalties are covered under the PROG Act, 2025.

Limits and self-exclusion

Stake Smart offers loss, wager and deposit limits, Break in Play, Self Exclusion and Account Closure. Lowering a limit works immediately, and raising one waits 24 hours.

Help with gambling problems is free on Tele-MANAS 14416, around the clock. The tools are described under safer gambling tools.