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