Are Skill-Game Apps Legal in Connecticut?
This page covers skill-game apps you play on your phone in Connecticut. Skill machines in Connecticut 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 Connecticut as one of five US states without cash matches. None of our 12 games offer cash play while your phone is in Connecticut, but all of them still play free there. Cash play is available across the border in Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island.
That status is Skillz's platform decision for Connecticut, not a court ruling, and states use different skill-versus-chance tests.
Atay games you can play free in Connecticut
| Game | Cash play in Connecticut | US App Store listing, checked Sep 24, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Solitaire Real Cash | Not available | Skillz and listing both exclude Connecticut |
| Gin Rummy Cash | Not available | Skillz and listing both exclude Connecticut |
| Ball Pool Cash | Not available | Skillz and listing both exclude Connecticut |
| Sugar Cash | Not available | Skillz and listing both exclude Connecticut |
| Word Money | Not available | Skillz and listing both exclude Connecticut |
| Bingo Prizes | Not available | Skillz excludes Connecticut; no state list printed |
| Block Puzzle | Not available | Skillz excludes Connecticut; no state list printed |
| Bubble Prizes | Not available | Skillz excludes Connecticut; no state list printed |
| Crossword Cash | Not available | Skillz excludes Connecticut; no state list printed |
| Pachinko Cash | Not available | Skillz excludes Connecticut; no state list printed |
| Word Search Cash | Not available | Skillz excludes Connecticut; no state list printed |
| Carrom | Free play only | Cash not yet enabled (open beta) |
Play free in Connecticut
Every Atay game runs in free play in Connecticut. Cash matches turn on only when your phone is in a state where Skillz offers them.
Play freeTaxes for Connecticut players who win elsewhere
You can't win cash prizes while your phone is in Connecticut. If you live in Connecticut and win while traveling, Connecticut taxes personal income, so those prizes may belong on your state return. The Connecticut Department of Revenue Services decides how Connecticut treats them. Federally, prizes are taxable income for Connecticut players with or without a tax form; see 1099s and Skillz winnings under $2,000.
Cash play in states bordering Connecticut
Leaving Connecticut for Massachusetts, New York, or Rhode Island brings cash play back at the Skillz level.
Elsewhere in the New England region (US Census division):
Questions about skill-game apps in Connecticut
Can I still play Atay games in Connecticut?
Yes. Every game installs and plays free in Connecticut. Only cash matches are off, because Skillz lists Connecticut as a state without cash play.
What if I deposited money while in Connecticut?
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 Connecticut?
It can. Once your phone is in a state where Skillz offers cash matches, such as Massachusetts, the games that allow cash there switch it on. Back in Connecticut, it turns off again.
Connecticut 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.