Game stake (4)
I believe the answer is:
ante
'game stake' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for ante that I've seen before include "Stake put up by a poker-player before receiving cards" , "Preceding birth" , "Initial bet" , "Poker-player's stake before the deal" , "Pre-deal stake" .)