Stephen A. Smith’s Solitaire App Collaboration Concluded

By Blog


Published on: November 14, 2025, 07:56h.

Updated on: November 14, 2025, 08:29h.

  • Stephen A. Smith has ended his association with “Solitaire Cash”
  • This social gambling app faces allegations of being unfair to actual players

Stephen A. Smith has promoted a contentious social gambling app to his six million followers on X for several weeks. However, the partnership with “Solitaire Cash” has now concluded.

Stephen A. Smith Solitaire Cash Promotion
A screenshot from X shows Stephen A. Smith promoting “Solitaire Cash,” a controversial social gambling app accused of unfair practices against real-money players. Smith and his fellow ESPN colleagues have begun to distance themselves from this product. (Image: Casino.org)

During his podcast this week, Smith acknowledged the controversy surrounding his endorsement of this mobile app owned by Papaya Gaming, a company claimed to have biased its skill-based games for its own benefit.

“We’re aware of the recent legal issues involving Papaya and the wider gaming environment. My team is currently assessing the validity and implications of the claims made. I want to clarify that I do not endorse or support any company engaging in deceitful or unethical gaming practices. Hence, we will thoroughly review the situation to ensure we do not endorse any fraudulent behavior,” Smith stated.

Smith’s latest promotion for Solitaire Cash occurred on Nov. 5 when he urged his six million followers to “download Solitaire Cash and show you can outscore me.”

Now, it seems that Smith has severed ties with Solitaire Cash, with both parties parting ways. Notably, the Solitaire Cash Instagram account has stopped featuring Smith’s advertisements, and the webpage for the 2026 World Solitaire Championship in Miami no longer showcases his image.

ESPN Directed Personalities to Disassociate

ESPN has reportedly instructed many of its personalities who promoted “Solitaire Cash” to remove their social media endorsements. However, this directive apparently did not apply to Smith.

As Casino.org reported earlier this week, various ESPN personalities, including Mina Kimes, Kendrick Perkins, Dan Orlovsky, and Laura Rutledge, faced backlash for endorsing the app on their social media platforms. They encouraged their million-plus followers to engage and play the app, which offers cash rewards through head-to-head matches.

Perkins and Smith playfully discussed their recent outcomes in Solitaire Cash during this period. The four former advocates of the app posted content showcasing their game play while using the hashtag “#BeatStephen.”

Continued Legal Challenges

Solitaire Cash and its parent organization, Papaya Gaming, are under scrutiny for allegedly employing computer bots to manipulate cash games against real-money players. Many players believe they are competing against individuals with similar skill levels, but lawsuits suggest that Papaya has leveraged skilled bots that consistently outperform human players, enabling the company to gain profits.

Kimes later confessed that she “didn’t conduct sufficient research into the situation, and that’s solely my responsibility.” She deleted her promotional content and expressed her intent to return any advertising funds, labeling the entire ordeal a “huge mistake.”

Orlovsky and Rutledge have also retracted their posts on X, but without any statements. Perkins’ post remains active.



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