An American court has issued a final decision in the dispute between Papaya Gaming and FIRY (formerly known as Skillz). It ruled to collect compensation amounting to $719 million from Papaya Gaming for unfair competition.
Recall that the conflict between the parties flared up in 2024. At that time, FIRY filed a lawsuit against Papaya Gaming, accusing them of using false advertising. According to FIRY, their competitors promoted games with cash competitions as projects where the only requirement to win a prize was to hone one's skills. However, Papaya Gaming allegedly manipulated results using bots that mimicked real players. Evidence presented in court showed that from 2021 to 2024, the number of bots in Papaya Gaming's games exceeded the number of real human gamers.
In April 2026, the jury concluded that Papaya Gaming should pay FIRY at least $420 million for its actions. They recommended that the judge increase the penalty if necessary, which he ultimately did.
Papaya Gaming expressed disappointment with the court’s decision and stated that they would seek to have the verdict reviewed once more.