Are Skill-Game Apps Legal in Tennessee?
This page covers skill-game apps you play on your phone in Tennessee. Skill machines in Tennessee bars, gas stations and convenience stores are a separate question this page doesn't cover.
Yes, cash play is on in Tennessee. Skillz, operated by Firy Inc. (NYSE: FIRY), runs our cash matches and has not switched it off there. Besides Carrom, which has no cash play anywhere yet, the one gap is Ball Pool Cash: its App Store listing names Tennessee as excluded, so 10 of our 12 games offer cash there. Next door, Arkansas is on that no-cash list, so cash matches stop when you cross into it. Tennessee has no state income tax.
That status is Skillz's platform decision for Tennessee, not a court ruling, and states use different skill-versus-chance tests.
Which Atay games offer cash play in Tennessee
| Game | Cash play in Tennessee | US App Store listing, checked Sep 24, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Solitaire Real Cash | Available | Lists 7 states, not Tennessee |
| Gin Rummy Cash | Available | Lists 7 states, not Tennessee |
| Sugar Cash | Available | Lists 5 states, not Tennessee |
| Word Money | Available | Lists 5 states, not Tennessee |
| Bingo Prizes | Available | No state list printed; Skillz allows Tennessee |
| Block Puzzle | Available | No state list printed; Skillz allows Tennessee |
| Bubble Prizes | Available | No state list printed; Skillz allows Tennessee |
| Crossword Cash | Available | No state list printed; Skillz allows Tennessee |
| Pachinko Cash | Available | No state list printed; Skillz allows Tennessee |
| Word Search Cash | Available | No state list printed; Skillz allows Tennessee |
| Ball Pool Cash | Not available | Listing names Tennessee |
| Carrom | Free play only | Cash not yet enabled (open beta) |
Play in Tennessee
Every game plays free first, so Tennessee players can learn one before any entry fee. In Tennessee, Ball Pool Cash stays in free play.
Browse the gamesHow prizes are taxed in Tennessee
Tennessee is one of nine states with no state income tax, with Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. Tennessee doesn't tax prizes won there, though a home state elsewhere may tax its residents. Federally, prizes are taxable income for Tennessee players with or without a tax form; see 1099s and Skillz winnings under $2,000.
Cash play in states bordering Tennessee
Crossing from Tennessee into Arkansas switches cash matches off.
Questions about skill-game apps in Tennessee
Can I play Atay games for cash in Tennessee?
Yes, 10 of our 12 games offer cash matches in Tennessee. Ball Pool Cash's listing excludes Tennessee; Carrom has no cash play yet.
Does it matter where in Tennessee I am?
No. Skillz sets eligibility by state from your phone's location, so Nashville gets the same answer as any small town in Tennessee.
What happens if I cross from Tennessee into Arkansas?
Cash matches switch off once your phone is in Arkansas. Free play keeps working, and cash play returns when you are back in Tennessee.
Does Tennessee tax prizes from skill-game apps?
No. Tennessee has no state income tax. Federal tax still applies to the prizes, whether or not a tax form arrives.
Correction, September 24, 2026: an earlier version of this page said cash play was not available in Tennessee. Skillz's help center lists cash matches as available in Tennessee, so we updated the page.
Tennessee 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.