It’s been a tough week for people who follow ESPN’s top personalities on social media.
First, the network’s top stars began shilling for their corporate parent, Disney, as the company continues its ongoing carriage dispute with YouTube TV. Fair enough, I suppose. If your boss asks you to do something, it’s usually wise to do it. That was minorly annoying and tone deaf, but understandable.
But what has happened throughout the day on Wednesday is borderline heinous. We’re not talking basic corporate shilling. We’re talking about endorsing a company you don’t even work for. In fact, we’re talking about endorsing a company that is currently facing a lawsuit that alleges it defrauded customers by placing them in real-money games with bots instead of human players, as it advertised.
That company is called Papaya Gaming, and earlier this week, ESPN star Stephen A. Smith became an official ambassador for a solitaire app it owns called Solitaire Cash, a real-money “game of skill” that seemingly allows players to win (and lose) money by playing a modified version of solitaire. Per gambling journalist Alex Weldon, Papaya is facing some serious allegations and has already admitted to some shady behavior.
“Having initially denied the factual basis of the claim, Papaya no longer disputes that, at one time, it pitted human players against computer-controlled adversaries. Some were used to fill tournaments that had insufficient human players, but others were deployed to guarantee a specific outcome — win or loss — for a particular player,” Weldon reports.
The promotions for Solitaire Cash haven’t stopped with Smith. The app has several high-profile ESPN personalities flooding the zone on social media. Among them are NFL analyst Mina Kimes, NFL Live host Laura Rutledge, and NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins.
You can’t beat my score. Nobody can.
Download Solitaire Cash. Enter the “Beat Stephen” Tournament.Win? Post your screenshot in the comments.
You will get a prize. ♠️No distractions. Pure focus.
That’s how champs win.— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) November 5, 2025
#ad Getting in practice before the game instead of during it @stephenasmith
Anyone else think they can #BeatStephen—try at @solitairecash and post your score pic.twitter.com/eWJDtr4BxT
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) November 5, 2025
#Ad Congratulations. I know this just made your day @stephenasmith, huh? You better enjoy this moment because this going to be the first and last that I lose to you at @solitairecash. Shout out to all the other real winners out there… download, get playing and #BeatStephen. Show… pic.twitter.com/T2LE3eOFF4
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) November 5, 2025
#Ad @stephenasmith well, I know you might be good at most things…but it’s time for me to show you how @solitairecash is really played… #BeatStephen https://t.co/MmM7L6ccx2
— Laura Rutledge (@LauraRutledge) November 5, 2025
#Ad Respectfully, I’ll smoke you (just like I do when we talk football 😙) https://t.co/PwZQlXBX62
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) November 5, 2025
Why are these (presumably) well-compensated ESPN employees endorsing a sketchy solitaire app? Who the heck knows. One would have to imagine they’re getting paid handsomely for it. Kimes, Rutledge, and Perkins are not generally the types to advertise products — especially a legally dubious gaming app — on their social media platforms.
But who couldn’t use a few extra bucks in their pocket with the holiday season coming up? Right?
About Drew Lerner
Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.