Overview
- Smith confirmed to Front Office Sports that he and Papaya mutually agreed to end their deal.
- ESPN previously directed Mina Kimes, Dan Orlovsky, Laura Rutledge, and Kendrick Perkins to halt promotions after an unapproved campaign surfaced.
- Smith had been named global ambassador for Papaya’s World Solitaire Championship and fronted a #BeatStephen challenge to drive downloads.
- On Nov. 21, a federal judge dismissed Papaya’s counterclaims against Skillz, citing insufficient evidence that Papaya suffered injury.
- Skillz’s lawsuit alleging bots masqueraded as human players in cash games from 2019 through at least November 2023 remains active with court‑ordered mediation pending.