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