An Italian streamer named Maurizio Lorio has been trying to recover winnings from crypto gaming business Stake since early 2022. The total amount disputed is approximately 3.9 BTC, or approximately €324,000, as of November 11, 2020, and which was won on Double Ball Roulette.
The payout that Lorio would have received was generated by a wagering event on that same day with 249.41 odds and 1301 times multiplying the amount of money wagered. After placing a withdrawal request, Stake froze the payment and subsequently restricted Lorio’s account for allegedly having an irregular betting pattern, specifically, there was a sudden increase in the size of his wager.
Stake Co-Founder Ed Craven later took to social media to further respond to the situation and suggested that Lorio’s account may be associated with an alleged manipulation scheme involving a live dealer in a casino.
Allegations and Response from Lorio
He alleged a live dealer may have manually manipulated the roulette ball after the roulette wheel had been spun in order to affect the result and has also stated that arrest warrants have already been issued in relation to the case within Europe for this matter.
The accusations have been denied by Lorio as he claims to have not received any evidence that supports any wrongdoing. He has also reiterated that he has not heard from law enforcement agencies and he is not under investigation.
Lorio states that his betting activity on the day in question was no different than what he normally does. He typically bets smaller amounts and larger amounts (as much as $15,000) on broadcasts. When he made the remarks to the media after his winning event, he advised that he was using the remaining balance in his account after hours of playing and there was no other cash available for the last gambling bets.
In addition to these assertions, Lorio believes a further analysis of the business relationship between Stake and Evolution, which operates Double Ball Roulette, may also be warranted.
Furthermore, Lorio emphasized that his main priority is to clearly and transparently understand his account and funds.
Ongoing Investigation and Potential Legal Action
Lorio’s case has been passed to CADRE, a dispute resolution entity that manages gambling operator-related player complaints in Curacao-controlled jurisdictions. Lorio said that he submitted the matter to CADRE over a year ago but that due to the high workload of CADRE and its reorganization, the resolution process has been delayed.
If the matter remains unresolved, the streamer plans to escalate the issue further by approaching regulators and pursuing legal action, including filing complaints with international authorities. According to Lorio, the situation could ultimately lead to questions surrounding Stake’s operating license.
