Are Skill-Game Apps Legal in Arkansas?
This page covers skill-game apps you play on your phone in Arkansas. Skill machines in Arkansas bars, gas stations and convenience stores are a separate question this page doesn't cover.
No, not for cash. Skillz, operated by Firy Inc. (NYSE: FIRY), runs our cash matches, and its help center lists Arkansas as one of five US states without cash matches. None of our 12 games offer cash play while your phone is in Arkansas, but all of them still play free there. Cash play is available across the border in Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas.
That status is Skillz's platform decision for Arkansas, not a court ruling, and states use different skill-versus-chance tests.
Atay games you can play free in Arkansas
| Game | Cash play in Arkansas | US App Store listing, checked Sep 24, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Solitaire Real Cash | Not available | Skillz and listing both exclude Arkansas |
| Gin Rummy Cash | Not available | Skillz and listing both exclude Arkansas |
| Ball Pool Cash | Not available | Skillz and listing both exclude Arkansas |
| Sugar Cash | Not available | Skillz and listing both exclude Arkansas |
| Word Money | Not available | Skillz and listing both exclude Arkansas |
| Bingo Prizes | Not available | Skillz excludes Arkansas; no state list printed |
| Block Puzzle | Not available | Skillz excludes Arkansas; no state list printed |
| Bubble Prizes | Not available | Skillz excludes Arkansas; no state list printed |
| Crossword Cash | Not available | Skillz excludes Arkansas; no state list printed |
| Pachinko Cash | Not available | Skillz excludes Arkansas; no state list printed |
| Word Search Cash | Not available | Skillz excludes Arkansas; no state list printed |
| Carrom | Free play only | Cash not yet enabled (open beta) |
Play free in Arkansas
Every Atay game runs in free play in Arkansas. Cash matches turn on only when your phone is in a state where Skillz offers them.
Play freeTaxes for Arkansas players who win elsewhere
You can't win cash prizes while your phone is in Arkansas. If you live in Arkansas and win while traveling, Arkansas taxes personal income, so those prizes may belong on your state return. The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration decides how Arkansas treats them. Federally, prizes are taxable income for Arkansas players with or without a tax form; see 1099s and Skillz winnings under $2,000.
Cash play in states bordering Arkansas
Leaving Arkansas for Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, or Texas brings cash play back at the Skillz level. Louisiana is on the no-cash list too. Ball Pool Cash's listing also excludes neighboring Tennessee.
Questions about skill-game apps in Arkansas
Can I still play Atay games in Arkansas?
Yes. Every game installs and plays free in Arkansas. Only cash matches are off, because Skillz lists Arkansas as a state without cash play.
What if I deposited money while in Arkansas?
Skillz's help center says players in a cash-disabled location should email support@skillz.com, and Skillz will look into a refund. It also says a deposit can't be refunded directly if any of it was used to enter cash matches.
Does cash play turn on if I leave Arkansas?
It can. Once your phone is in a state where Skillz offers cash matches, such as Mississippi, the games that allow cash there switch it on. Back in Arkansas, it turns off again.
Arkansas status per the Skillz help center (eligibility, cash-disabled areas, skill-game legality) and US App Store listings. General information, not legal advice; Skillz can change cash availability.