A storm is brewing in the iGaming world, and at its eye stands a familiar name — Andres Markou, the founder and CEO of MyStake.com, a fast-rising online casino that now finds itself under intense legal and media scrutiny.
What began as an unassuming career move may now evolve into one of the most explosive legal battles in the industry’s history. Allegations have surfaced that Markou, a Cyprus-born entrepreneur, launched MyStake.com shortly after a brief but deeply strategic stint at Stake.com — one of the world’s most dominant and controversial online gambling platforms.
According to internal reports and court filings obtained by this publication, Markou was employed at Stake.com as a Junior Partnership Manager — a role typically considered entry-level. However, insiders claim he approached the position with unusually aggressive intent, soaking up proprietary strategy, forging high-level affiliate relationships, and leveraging the global recognition of the Stake.com brand to build his personal network.
Only months after joining Stake, Markou abruptly exited the company. Soon after, MyStake.com was born — a platform bearing striking structural and visual similarities to Stake’s early model. Industry observers were quick to raise eyebrows, but it wasn’t until a recent court case in Australia that serious allegations surfaced.
The court filings, which pit Stake.com’s legal representatives against Markou and his newly assembled team, suggest that the founder of MyStake illegally accessed and repurposed Stake’s internal affiliate database, using it to rapidly scale his own operation. This alleged move allowed Markou to strike lucrative partnerships and mimic Stake’s explosive early growth — but without laying the groundwork from scratch.
Stake’s co-founder, Edward Craven, is reportedly leading the charge on the legal front, stating in his preliminary testimony that Markou’s actions represent “an intentional and unethical hijacking of proprietary business intelligence.” Craven and Markou, it turns out, share more than just an industry — both are confirmed graduates of Stanford University’s Business Management Master’s program, which has added further intrigue to the saga.
Sources close to the matter suggest the two may have met during their time at Stanford, potentially laying the foundation for both cooperation and future conflict. While the nature of their relationship at the university remains murky, the courtroom battle between them is anything but.
For now, Markou remains silent publicly, and MyStake continues to operate — even thrive — amid the swirling controversy. Traffic and brand visibility for the platform remain strong, and some affiliate insiders even speculate that the scandal has brought MyStake more attention than any marketing campaign ever could.
Yet, as court proceedings continue and more details are expected to be unsealed in the coming weeks, the iGaming world waits with bated breath. If the allegations are upheld, the case could set a precedent regarding intellectual property and partner data within the fiercely competitive online casino landscape.
We will continue to provide updates as the case develops.
