ESPN NFL analyst Mina Kimes has expressed her embarrassment over Stephen A. Smith’s endorsement of a new solitaire app. This came to light after Smith was spotted playing the game on his phone during an NBA Finals game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers. Both Kimes and fellow analysts Dan Orlovsky and Kendrick Perkins also mentioned the app on their social media accounts.
The parent company of Solitaire Cash, Papaya Gaming, is currently facing a lawsuit over allegations of false advertising, which reportedly involved the use of bots between 2019 and 2023. Papaya’s attempt to dismiss the lawsuit was denied, but they later dropped the claim that they had used bots to compete against real players. The ongoing legal matter now revolves around the company’s assertion that they never misled users and that no harm was done. They’ve announced that they will stop using computer-versus-human matches.
Kimes, in her post, admitted that she hadn’t thoroughly researched the company before getting involved. “Honestly, I didn’t take the time to look into it, and that’s entirely my fault. I thought it was just a standard promotional gig, and I’m really embarrassed for not being more diligent. A huge mistake on my part,” she stated. Furthermore, she clarified that she hadn’t received any payment from the company, and if she had, she would have returned it.
Smith had recently challenged his followers to compete against him in the game. Though the whole situation raises various questions, it showcases the potential pitfalls of celebrity endorsements in the gaming industry.
