Stake, Satire, and Stakeholders: How a Betting Ad Became India’s Riskiest Comedy Sketch

In the latest episode of “Wait, They Did What?”, online gambling platform Stake just dropped an ad campaign that makes meme culture, betting, and influencer chaos collide in a way that’s both baffling and genius. Featuring internet provocateurs Puneet Superstar, Poonam Pandey, and Deepak Kalal, the ad goes beyond “shock value” and into what might be the riskiest—and most strategic—gamble in influencer marketing.

The Ad That Breaks the Rules (Literally):

Imagine a domestic soap opera starring social media’s most infamous disruptors. That’s what Stake served up—with Dilsepaneer playing the cricket-obsessed husband, Poonam Pandey as the wildcard wife, and Puneet + Kalal tag-teaming drama and betting links.

But this isn’t just “content.” It’s content with consequences. Just last year, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting warned Indian influencers about promoting offshore betting sites. This ad arrives not despite the warning—but because of it. What Makes This Tactic So... Cheeky?

Platform Bypass: No uploads from Stake’s official accounts. All buzz is driven by personal influencer pages—outsourcing virality while shielding the brand.

Coded Content: The narrative is layered in humor and absurdity, but it smartly avoids explicit CTA or download links. It's guerrilla marketing 101.

Pop Culture Camouflage: Casting notorious faces gives the ad meme potential, reducing scrutiny and increasing shareability.

The Bigger Strategy:

Stake has traditionally used subtle integrations—slips, tweets, reels. But this marks a pivot to full-blown content creation. Think: Netflix doc meets Dhar Mann meets betting plug.

By turning controversy into campaign strategy, they’re not just selling a service—they're building a spectacle. And in today’s attention economy, spectacle sells better than sense. Whether you love it or hate it, one thing’s clear—this ad wasn’t an accident. It was a provocation wrapped in parody, disguised as a post. And in doing so, Stake has reminded us that in Indian advertising today, the boldest moves aren’t made on TV—they’re made on the 'gram, by the unlikeliest of influencers.