Sports personalities repping online gaming brands has become part and parcel of the industry, and that extends to skill-based gaming.
One company, Papaya, seems to have gone on a hard recruitment drive recently, not only signing up Stephen A. Smith to host its Solitaire World Championship but also getting other ESPN personalities such as Mina Kimes and Kendrick Perkins to provide its platform visibility on social media.
That increased visibility has come as the likes of FanDuel and the NFL have embraced online skill games in recent times, but also as Papaya’s operations come under some scrutiny.
What are skill-based games?
Papaya calls itself a global leader in skill-based mobile games and says it utilizes a multiplayer model, using an algorithm to match players of similar ability to play against each other for the chance to win cash prizes.
What it essentially offers is the ability to play games such as solitaire for money. For instance, its Solitaire Cash app is a free-to-play mobile game that also allows users to take part in real-money head-to-head contests.
The official stance on the legality of games of skill varies with blurred lines from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Generally speaking, a game of chance is considered a product that relies upon random outcomes like a dice roll, while a skill-based game is theoretically contingent on a person’s ability to affect the game through their ability, rather than via random chance. Some states allow games of skill, others have thresholds for what constitutes skill vs. chance and some states more clearly prohibit skill gaming in their laws.
Online skill games: The next sweeps?
Still, some larger real-money gambling companies and their partners seem to view online skill games as a potential avenue of exploration, and several big-name brands are already taking part.
FanDuel launched FanDuel Faceoff back in 2022 and has since launched games with its partners as high-profile as the NBA and ex-NFLer Rob Gronkowski. Faceoff games let users either challenge friends or get matched with opponents of a similar skill level to win varying amounts of money, with the app taking a small rake.
Another gaming, fantasy and betting company, Betr, launched Betr Arcade in 29 states earlier this year, its first entry into P2P skill gaming. Founder Joey Levy told SBC Americas that the vertical is a big, underutilized opportunity in online gaming. Meanwhile, DraftKings‘ venture capital investment business firm Drive by DraftKings counts Papaya among its investment portfolio companies. Even the NFL has invested; it has held a multi-year deal with Papaya competitor Skillz for several years.
While online skill-based games are a growing vertical, they have not yet come under the same level of scrutiny as other newer-age gaming channels such as sweepstakes casinos. As online sweepstakes gaming emerged as Public Enemy No. 1 in 2025 (perhaps No. 2 by now, thanks to prediction markets), operators may feel that the grey area around games of skill provides another line of business worth betting on, particularly since there are laws specifically addressing the vertical.
Papaya feels the squeeze
Papaya has not been without hiccups. The notoriously strict Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) sent a cease-and-desist letter to Papaya back in October 2024, deeming its games including Solitaire Cash to be illegal gambling. Michigan is a state where other skill game operators have generally chosen not to operate.
“Our games aren’t considered gambling in jurisdictions where Papaya operates as the outcome of our tournaments is based on the skill of the players, rather than luck or chance,” states Papaya’s website. But it limits some offerings in some states; for example, its Solitaire cash tournaments are not available in Arizona, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan or Montana.
Meanwhile, Papaya’s deals with Smith, Kimes and others have particularly raised eyebrows as the company’s practices are questioned in court.
It was sued in New York court last year by Skillz, which alleged that Papaya engaged in false advertising and deceptive practices by telling players they would compete in “totally fair and skill-based” games against other humans when actually, per Skillz’s claim, it used bots as opponents in “rigged” games. Skillz has levied similar charges against another competitor, Voodoo, while Papaya has countersued.
After Kimes deleted and apologized for her posts promoting Papaya, calling it “a colossal f***-up,” Front Office Sports reported this week that ESPN ordered several of its on-air talents to cut their ties to the company.
