ESPN’s Mina Kimes tracks back on solitaire app approval

NEWYou can now listen to Pakinomist articles!

ESPN NFL analyst Mina Kimes spoke publicly about the shame she felt for promoting a solitaire app that her colleague Stephen A. Smith recently partnered with.

Smith became the face of Solitaire Cash after he was caught playing the card game on his phone during the NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers. Kimes, Dan Orlovsky and Kendrick Perkins were also spotted giving the app some time on their X accounts.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON Pakinomist

Mina Kimes during the Pro Bowl Skills Challenge at Nicholson Fieldhouse on January 30, 2025. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

Papaya Gaming, the parent company of Solitaire Cash, was the target of a false advertising lawsuit alleging the use of internal bots from 2019 to 2023, according to Poker Scout. Papaya Gaming was denied its motion to dismiss the case, and the company has since dropped a factual dispute that it used bots to go up against humans.

The case now hinges on Papaya Gaming’s claim that it never deceived users about bots and that no harm was done, according to Poker Scout. The company has said it has since stopped using computers vs. human matchups.

HEAT COACH ERIK SPOELSTRA PRAISES ‘FANTASTIC’ FIRST RESPONDERS AFTER DEVELOPMENT OF FIERY HOME BLAZE

Mina Kimes poses on the ESPYs red carpet at the Dolby Theater on July 16, 2025. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

Kimes wrote in a post on X that she has not investigated the company properly.

“Truth is: I didn’t take the time to look into it all and it’s 100% up myself. Thought it was just typical marketing ploy and I’m deeply embarrassed I didn’t look into it. A colossal fk-up on my (part),” she wrote.

She added on BlueSky that she wrote that she did not get paid by the company and if she did, she would give the check away.