Latest articles
Papaya Games Goes on the Counterattack, Accuses Skillz of Bot Use & Deceptive Practices
Papaya Games is attempting to turn the tables on Skillz, making claims of bot use that are very similar to Skillz’s original claims against Papaya. The countersuit, filed Monday, also accuses Skillz of defamation, deceit, and intellectual property violations. Skillz sued Papaya in March, alleging in court filings that it pits its players against house-operated “bots” […]
Pennsylvania Casinos Sue State to Force Action on Skill Games
Several Pennsylvania commercial casino owners are asking the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to determine whether the $1 billion they’re paying in taxes on their 19,000 slots is constitutional if skill games pay nothing. On July 29, casino owners filed a complaint against state gaming regulators and the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. The casino owners want the […]
Skillz v. Papaya Gaming: Botting Accusations Will Get Their Day in Court
A New York federal judge rejected Papaya Gaming’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit against it by rival skill gaming company Skillz. The latter company has accused Papaya of deceiving its users by pitting them against house-controlled “bots” while implying that its real-money contests are player-vs.-player. Papaya hasn’t confirmed or denied the practice in question. However, accepting the […]
Real-Money Toy Cranes & Bubble Shooters—Gaming Companies Look to the 20th Century for Inspiration
Carnival skill games and 1980s arcade classics—more and more, that’s where the gambling industry is looking for inspiration. For all their talk of innovation, real-money gaming companies seem to prefer Hollywood’s strategy of “rebooting” the successes of past decades. Among the new products gamblers can look forward to in the next year or two: Adaptations […]
Kentucky Skill Games Ban Remains in Effect as County Judge Rejects Pace-o-Matic’s Arguments
Skill games will remain illegal in Kentucky for now, as a county judge sided with the state in a lawsuit challenging the ban’s constitutionality. The plaintiffs included skill game manufacturer Pace-O-Matic and the owners of small businesses that benefited from hosting the devices before they were outlawed. Pace-o-Matic sells its devices for use in multiple […]
Papaya Gaming Claims Alleged Bot Use Wouldn’t Harm or Deceive Users in Response to Skillz Suit
Papaya Gaming‘s response to a lawsuit from Skillz has been to deny that using house bots would be deceitful or cause any harm to its users, on the grounds that it has never explicitly claimed not to do so. Skillz, a rival company in the mobile skill gaming space, alleges that Papaya fraudulently uses bots […]
Pace-o-Matic Skill Games Case Headed to Pennsylvania Supreme Court
Pennsylvania lawmakers still haven’t clarified the legality of skill game machines, but the state’s highest court may soon make that decision for them. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania has granted state authorities’ request to appeal the December decision by the Commonwealth Court that the machines don’t meet the definition of illegal gambling devices. Pace-o-Matic and similar companies manufacture amusement devices […]
Proliferation of Skill Games in Pennsylvania Poses Logistics Challenges for Municipalities
Amusement devices of various forms provide a valuable source of tax revenue for Pennsylvania municipalities, but the growing popularity of gray market skill gaming machines is complicating the issue. The problem is that there are too many of them, in too many places. The typical approach is for officials to visit the types of locations that […]
AviaGames Class Action—Fate of Player Lawsuit Hinges on Compelled Arbitration Ruling
AviaGames players seeking compensation for the money they allegedly lost to house-operated “bot” accounts may not get their day in court unless the judge finds the company’s terms of service unconscionable. Avia is seeking to escape the class action suit by enforcing a compelled arbitration clause similar to the one that recently put an end to the […]
Illinois Legislature Fast-Tracks Bill Prohibiting Wagering on Family Amusements
Illinois lawmakers have amended an existing bill to include an act to ban arcades from facilitating wagers on amusement games after initially missing the deadline for new legislation. This last-ditch maneuver to piggyback the Family Amusement Wagering Prohibition Act (FAWPA) on other legislation could make Illinois the first state to take a stand against the […]