The UK operations of gambling giant Stake are set to shut down next month following an investigation by the Gambling Commission into controversial advertising practices involving adult content.

Stake, an online casino and sports betting platform known for sponsoring Everton Football Club, came under scrutiny after a widely shared social media video featured OnlyFans performer Bonnie Blue – real name Tia Billinger – alongside the company’s branding.

The 25-year-old adult actress, who previously claimed to have set a world record for sexual encounters, was featured in a video discussing an explicit event at Nottingham Trent University. The clip was later edited to include Stake’s logo and circulated on X by accounts that specialise in viral content. It remains unclear whether Ms Billinger was aware of or consented to the branding.

The Gambling Commission launched an inquiry into the matter after receiving complaints from the Coalition to End Gambling Ads, which accused Stake of “using sexualised content to target young people.” The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) also confirmed it was monitoring the company’s marketing practices.

Stake operates in the UK through a white-label partnership with Isle of Man-based TGP Europe, which facilitates access to the British market for overseas firms. The Gambling Commission has now confirmed that TGP Europe will shut down Stake UK’s operations next month.

In response, Stake stated that the decision was made “strategically” in collaboration with TGP Europe, citing plans to focus on acquiring local licences in key markets such as Brazil and Italy.

Everton FC’s sponsorship deal with Stake is set to run until the end of the Premier League season. The Gambling Commission has confirmed it will contact Everton and two other Premier League clubs associated with unlicensed gambling firms to ensure UK customers are blocked from accessing such sites.

Critics argue that the closure highlights wider issues with the UK’s gambling regulations. Will Prochaska, director of the Coalition to End Gambling Ads, said: “Forcing Stake out of the UK market is important, but it won’t fix a system that enables predatory gambling marketing, sometimes by firms that haven’t even applied for their own gambling licence. We need regulators who prioritise public health over gambling industry profits.”

Under UK law, advertising gambling services without the appropriate licence is illegal, and authorities continue to crack down on companies breaching these regulations.