“All that matters is money” “Embarassing”: NFL fans react as Mina Kimes apologizes for promoting allegedly rigged gaming app

Mina Kimes has found herself in the news again - for the wrong reasons.

On Saturday, the ESPN presenter issued this apology for having endorsed Solitaire Cash, a gambling app whose owner Papaya Gaming was found to have defrauded players by planting bots into games:

“The truth is: I didn’t spend any time looking into the whole thing, and that’s 100% on me. Thought it was just typical marketing work, and I’m deeply embarrassed I didn’t vet it. A colossal f–k-up on my part.”

Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!

Nevertheless, fan condemnation was quick to occur:

"Lost my entire life savings because you promoted this product!" one revealed. "Donate the money," another demanded. "You don’t spend any time looking into anything you talk about," another raged.

Kimes is not the only ESPN employee to have endorsed Solitaire Cash. Stephen A. Smith, Kendrick Perkins, and Dan Orlovsky have also done so. In fact, Michelle Beadle condemned Smith's involvement in an episode of her eponymous podcast with Cody Decker last Thursday:

“It’s not secret how I feel about that human. Honestly, I’m not a religious person, but I pray for the downfall. I really do. It’s gross.”

ALSO READ: 2 days after accusing Mina Kimes of manufacturing fake rape charges, coach Jason Brown gets candid on fight with ESPN analyst

ALSO READ: "He's a clout-chasing psycho": Mina Kimes rips into coach Jason Brown for questioning her game knowledge

---

Solitaire Cash is not Mina Kimes' first scandal of 2025

As it turns out, however, this is not the first time Mina Kimes has been controversial this year. In June, she went on a rant about the media's coverage of the anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles:

"The disparity btwn what’s actually happening in Los Angeles and the way it’s being mischaracterized is one of the biggest stress tests of modern media in recent memory. Botted socials, AI, old clips, declining literacy—it’s like seeing a broken emergency response system hit by a storm."

That earned her condemnation from Jason Whitlock, who wrote on his social media:

"We experienced 10+ years of media pretending police officers were killing thousands of unarmed black men every year. LeBron couldn’t even go outside. Mina never said a word. Make it make sense."

Then late last month, she got into a feud with Last Chance U star Jason Brown that Whitlock eventually also addressed.

Edited by Andre Castillo