Stephen A. Smith seems to be exempt from ESPN ending talent’s marketing of shady app

The Worldwide Leader is telling its talent — almost all of it — to end any marketing connection to a suspicious app backed by a company facing a federal lawsuit. 

ESPN higher-ups directed Dan Orlovsky, Kendrick Perkins, Mina Kimes and Laura Rutledge to end any marketing relationships with Papaya Gaming’s solitaire app, Front Office Sports reported on Wednesday. 

The new report comes after the promotion created drama for the Disney-owned sports network, after it was tied to Stephen A. Smith, which led to a former ESPN staffer criticizing the partnership between the sports talker and the embattled gaming company. 

Kimes has already disavowed the promotion, posting a public apology over the weekend, calling her involvement “a colossal f–k up” and acknowledging that she failed to “spend any time looking into the whole thing.” 

Kimes, Rutledge and Orlovsky have deleted any promotional posts tied to the app. 

A federal lawsuit claims that the company has falsely marketed games of skill and has utilized “tailored bots to control the outcomes of tournaments.” 

Smith was named by Papaya the “global ambassador” for the World Solitaire Championship on Nov. 3, and he promoted a campaign for Papaya dubbed the “#BeatStephen Challenge.” 

The Front Office Sports report on Wednesday indicated that ESPN execs were not provided the chance to vet the Papaya deal, and the network eventually stepped in.

“They shut it down,” a source told FOS. 

However, one notable aspect of the new revelation is that Smith is not mentioned as having to end his relationship with Papaya. 

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

Smith’s reps did not respond to a request for comment from the outlet. 

A post by Smith promoting the “Beat Stephen” Tournament from Nov. 5 remains up on the “First Take” host’s X page. 

He addressed the controversy on his podcast on Monday. 

“We’re aware of the recent legal developments involving Papaya and the broader skill/gaming space,” he said. “My team is currently evaluating the accuracy and merits of the claims made. I want to be very clear. I do not support nor condone any company engaging in fraudulent or unfair gaming practices. Thus, my team and I will evaluate the situation and ensure that we are not in favor of any fraudulent or unfair gaming practices at all.”