High Stakes Players Sue Gaming Site Skillz Over Unpaid Prizes, Unpunished Cheating
Posted on: June 18, 2020, 02:43h.
Last updated on: June 19, 2020, 07:26h.
Two individuals have filed a lawsuit against Skillz in the United States District Court in Nevada, claiming that the skill-based gaming platform is defrauding players – though the company says the plaintiffs are the only cheaters in this case.

Alyssa Ball and John Prignano claim that Skillz refused to pay out hundreds of thousands in cash and prizes, while cheaters kept their ill-gotten winnings.
Skillz Claims Legal Gaming in 38 States
Skillz offers players real money competitive play in a variety of mobile games. These include apps based on casino games like blackjack, sports games, traditional board games, puzzles, or just about anything else you might find in your favorite app store. Skillz claims their site offers legal gaming in 38 states since it features games of skill under the definitions of chance and gambling in those jurisdictions.
According to Ball, a 19-year-old from Nevada, she lost $650,000 to a cheater she played against on the site in a game known as Blitz21, which includes elements of blackjack and solitaire. After notifying Skillz of the alleged cheating, Ball says the site only warned the unnamed opponent and suspended her account.
Ball further claims that when she found Skillz CEO Andrew Paradise on Instagram to confront him about the situation, he sent her an inappropriate response.
“Have we met somewhere? I feel like I’d remember as you’re too beautiful to be forgettable,” Ball alleges Paradise to have written. “Haha and if we haven’t met, we should, I’m in Vegas all the time.”
Ball says that Skillz terminated her account, seizing her $28,000 balance.
Ball, Prignano Seek Millions in Damages
Prignano makes similar claims, minus the personal interactions. According to Prignano, he earned enough rewards points on the site to redeem them for a Porsche Boxster, worth approximately $60,000. But when he tried to claim his reward, he alleges that Skillz increased the number of points needed for the car without warning. Skillz later accused Prignano of cheating, then banned him from the site and confiscated the $286,000 in his account.
In addition, Prignano claims he lost about $950,000 to the same individual named by Ball, in addition to another $350,000 to two other alleged cheaters, named only as John Does 2 and 3 in the lawsuit.
In a statement released to multiple media outlets, Skillz says that it was only doing its job to prevent cheating.
This suit was filed by two people who colluded to cheat the Skillz community,” a spokesperson for Skillz said. “They were caught by our trust and safety team and kicked off of our platform in accordance with our terms of service and commitment to honesty, integrity and fairness. Their case has no merit and is an attempt to intimidate our company and obtain illegitimate gains.”
Lawyer Mac VerStandig is representing the two plantiffs. VerStandig is the same lawyer who represented a group of poker players who sued Mike Postle and Stones Gambling Hall over alleged cheating during livestreamed games. A judge dismissed that lawsuit earlier this month.
Ball and Prignano seek $5.9 million in damages and are asking for a jury trial on nine counts, including consumer fraud, fraud, and unjust enrichment.
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Last Comments ( 5 )
Sounds like the one comment is from someone who works for Skillz "tHosE 2 PeeOpLe SOunDd liKeE OpPorTunniTss" Now had these two been the only ones to complain i'd believe it but 99.9% of the people who play/have played this game say the same bad things about them... but I guess thousands to millions of people are lying huh? so no doubt in my mind that they're telling the truth. You can never trust "quick" money making things like this because they're all scams- either to get your info and/or to get your money by lulling you into a false sense of security. Just remember: If getting lots of money was as easy as this company (and other scammy ones) make it out to be everyone on this planet would be rich.
Ive cashed out almost 500$ but there is some fishy stuff going on with Skillz
Well I feel like this... I have played well over 200 games to try and"win" money, and every single one give played has let me get as close as .01 ONE PENNY and wouldnt let me cash out. I like certain games and to think I can play solitaire or bingo and plinko ect. And make an extra $ 20~30 bucks cool. BUT EVERY SINGLE GAME I HAVE EVER PLAYED HAS YET TO MAKE ME .001 MUCH LESS $20.i ALWAY stop play in the game because there is no pay off like the games always make you think by reading the apps or watching advertisements for the apps ALL LIES! in from the show me stayed.... PROVE ME WRONG PLEEEAAASE . LET ME WIN A COUPLE 100 TO HELP PAY MY BILLS
I just got my account taken away for accusing skillz of cheating me
After reading this I really think Ball and Prignano are opportunists... snakes in the grass that were waiting to strike! Well, I could be wrong but let justice be served!