The Stake-Kick Relationship Explained: Does Stake Own Kick?

Kick is seen as the ideal gateway for online casino players who are interested in streaming. A compelling alternative to platforms suck as Twitch which outright bans the steaming of gambling content. The connection between Stake and Kick has been the subject of much speculation since the launch of the streaming platform back in 2022.

We know Stake.com as one of the world’s leading crypto casinos and sportsbooks. Kick has emerged as the convenient partner, positioning itself as a creator-friendly live-streaming platform with generous revenue sharing and a lot more flexibility for content creators. But one question arises: does Stake own Kick?

The Founders and Ownership of Kick

While Kick is officially a separate company, its founding, funding, and ongoing growth are deeply tied to Stake.com. Kick’s co-founders are basically the same as Stake’s. Here we will explore in deeper means the Stake and Kick relationship, how it developed, and why it matters.

Kick was launched in late 2022 to disrupt the streaming space, offering creators a 95/5 revenue split, compared to Twitch’s 50/50. The story begins earlier, with two entrepreneurs: Ed Craven and Bijan Tehrani, the co-founders of Stake.com. Craven and Tehrani were vital to Kick’s creation. While the platform is not branded as Stake.com’s property, the same individuals stand behind both ventures. This is why many ask the question does Stake own Kick on Reddit and other places. The answer is, strictly speaking, no.

Image via Linkedin

By this, we mean that the ownership structures are separate, but the overlap of leadership and investors makes the distinction less clear in practice. Unlike owning two different cars, companies have a distinctive way to be tied in ownership, since they are legally seen as different legal entities, so even if two companies are owned and managed by the same people, they are still separate companies.

In interviews and founder posts, including Ed Craven’s reflections on Medium, the narrative is consistent:

Kick was born out of frustration with Twitch’s restrictions, particularly on gambling streams, and a desire to create a more open ecosystem for streamers of all kinds.

Unpacking the Strategic Ties

Not just a streaming platform, Kick is intended to be a community-focused experience that ties in with the Stake brand. The intention is to bring users closer to the casino content they enjoy and let streamers build an audience, share their gameplay, and involve their viewers in a form of live entertainment that is growing in popularity.

One of the reasons Kick was able to grow so quickly is because it’s backed financially by Stake.com. Kick has also benefited from Stake’s management structure. So, Craven and Tehrani’s success with Stake gave them the resources to invest heavily in Kick from day one.
Kick quickly made headlines by signing high-profile streamers like Trainwreckstv, who publicly discussed his role in shaping the platform and revealed that Kick shares “some similar shareholders” with Stake.

The “Stake + Kick” deal was not just about shared philosophy, but also about shared financial resources and strategy. In essence, Kick had access to the same deep pockets that funded Stake’s rise, allowing it to compete with Twitch through aggressive streamer contracts, promotional campaigns, and a rather quick platform development.

What is the Stake.com and Kick partnership?

Before we go any further, it is probably a good idea to quickly cover for the uninitiated what the platform is all about. Stake.com Kick is aimed at being a next-generation live-streaming platform that ties in with the Stake.com online casino used by players across the world. It was dreamed up by the creators behind Stake.com and promises an easy-to-use interface and features that are designed to be attractive to streamers and viewers all at once as well as being a way to promote offers like the code that gives new players a 200% deposit bonus up to $2,000.

As a mission statement, Stake.com Kick aims to be a place where gaming and entertainment can dovetail and replicate much of the experience of streaming platforms like Twitch. It also focuses on being more friendly to creators than existing streaming platforms. If you’re wondering “Does Stake.com own Kick?”, we’ll deal with that question more completely at a later point, but for now let’s just say that the two entities remain naturally linked in ethos, audience, and commercial goals.

Shared Sponsorship and Branding

The Stake and Kick relationship is also evident in how both brands present themselves to the public eye. Stake.com is known for its headline-grabbing sponsorships, from the Stake F1 Team to partnerships with UFC stars and football clubs. Kick has often been included in these sponsorship activations, signalling a united front in terms of marketing. For example, Team Secret’s partnership announcement included both Stake and Kick, framing them as joint supporters of the esports team. This kind of co-branding powers up the perception that the two brands move together.

On social media, mostly on Instagram, you can see how Stake F1 branding often mentions Kick, presenting them as part of the same vision: disruptive, digital-first entertainment with a global audience.

Image: Stake/Kick

Why the Distinction Matters

Kick positions itself as an independent streaming platform, not a casino-owned service. That independence allows it to appeal to streamers outside of gambling, such as musicians, gamers, and content creators in general. At the same time, the shared DNA means that casino streaming remains a natural fit on Kick. Unlike Twitch, which restricted gambling content, Kick has embraced it. In the process this has created a niche that aligns with Stake.com’s user base and a place for casino streamers to work without fear of bans.

Kick’s Growth and Public Perception

Kick’s boom has not been free of criticism. Media coverage has often highlighted its ties to Stake.com, raising questions about whether the streaming platform exists primarily to funnel attention toward crypto gambling. Forbes and The Washington Post have both reported on this relationship, sometimes framing it as controversial given broader debates about gambling exposure online. Founder Ed Craven has defended the platform as a genuine attempt to improve the streaming ecosystem, not just a marketing tool for Stake. This duality marks the Stake and Kick relationship as complex. On one level, it is a straightforward case of successful entrepreneurs launching a separate venture. On another, it is inseparable from the financial, branding, and cultural power of Stake.com.

Image via Escharts

Why Stake.com Kick is gaining attention

Stake.com Kick stands out as a streaming platform designed to appeal to and work with creators and viewers. Due to its connection with Stake, it has the resources and promotional power to make a difference, and it has gained a large following due in no small part to its generous revenue sharing approach. There is far less of a bar to entry than you will find on most other streaming platforms, and if you enjoy casino content or want to start streaming yourself, then there is plenty of reason to be interested in what Stake.com Kick is offering.

Why viewers like Stake.com Kick

As noted above, Kick offers an ad-light experience that makes it easy and seamless to flick between channels, follow your favourite creators, and interact in real time. You can even earn rewards through promotions sponsored by Stake.com, such as Stake.com UFC streams.

Kick also hosts special events where the viewer can win prizes or participate in live contests. Stake.com’s partnerships with celebrities and sports teams can lead to collaborative streams. The platform is constantly focused on offering an engaging experience for its viewers, whether through streaming casino gameplay, esports tournaments, or even the occasional streamed chat with creators.

• Related: Kick brings on exclusive esports tournaments

Stake.com and Kick: An ideal match?

Stake.com and Kick have a working relationship that seeks to build on both parties’ goals of community, fairness, and entertainment. While Kick runs independently of Stake.com, it was founded by Stake.com’s co-owners to provide a space for gaming enthusiasts who wanted a streaming platform that was less restrictive and more incentivised for creators. Is Kick owned by Stake.com? The truth is that officially, it is owned by the people who own Stake.com; that’s a legal distinction, but the key point is that their interests are aligned.

The relationship between the two means that Kick has the financial backing and promotional heft that comes with being connected to Stake.com, but the independence means that people who are interested in Kick need not feel that they have to come off the fence in support of Stake.com if they would rather not. In this way, Kick can build its own name and act in its own interests. Also, the founders occasionally stream on Kick when they have something to say.

The synergy between the two brands means that Stake.com promotions can cross over to Kick; high-profile events including celebrity streams or special giveaways can be flagged up on the streaming platform. And while many of the streaming sites and apps on offer right now have some misgivings about hosting iGaming content, that’s not an issue Kick will ever have.

Looking Ahead: Stake Kick Deal and Future Strategy

The Stake Kick deal is less about contracts on paper and more about strategic alignment. Stake benefits from having a streaming platform where gambling content thrives, while Kick benefits from the financial and promotional muscle that Stake can offer.

Going forward, we can expect even more cross-promotion between the two brands: casino events streamed exclusively on Kick, esports teams sponsored by both brands, and high-profile personalities moving fluidly between Stake promotions and Kick broadcasts.

In the long term, the big question is whether Kick can make itself an own name that stands out and survives without this partnership. If it does, it may succeed in dethroning Twitch. If not, it may always be viewed as an extension of Stake.com.

Stake-Kick relationship FAQs