The concept of real money skill games is relatively new in the US, and apps providing these games operate out of a legal loophole and are thus not licensed. As an outsider, you would be right to have your concerns. There are scam apps out there, just like there are scam sportsbooks and online casinos. These prey on unsuspecting gamers, mostly those who don’t have the know-how or experience how legit skill games apps work. And it can kill the experience, potentially even resulting in your personal data getting leaked or targeted attacks directed at your bank account.
How to Spot Scam Skill Game Apps
As a newcomer, it is more important than anything else that you must do your research and only pick skill games apps that are established, don’t use dodgy third-party payment processors or security measures, and are accountable. After all, if you want to play for real money, then you will need to send cash to your gaming account, and eventually withdraw your winnings.
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Quick Answer (TL;DR)
As skill games are not regulated by any US gaming authority, the platforms providing these games cannot get licensure. This makes your job of spotting a legit site from a scam a lot harder, neither real sites nor scams are officially recognized in the US. So, you have to dig a little further.
The biggest skill games apps have reputations that speak for themselves, much like DraftKings within the US sports betting sector, or Caesars for iGaming. But if you come across newer skill games apps or lesser-known ones, you have to run some background checks.
The biggest warning signs in one list
When encountering a skill games site, and you can’t tell if it is a scam or not, then you can use our checklist below to see whether it can be trusted or not. It is easier if you give the site no trust at all, and look for potentially dodgy practises or unclear terms, which are common practises of scam sites.
| Real Money Games Where Legally Accepted | Legit sites do not offer real money games in states where it is not allowed. This is a strong sign of a scam site |
| Eligibility and KYC | 18+ is the minimum requirement, and ID verification is only needed when your winnings exceed tax thresholds |
| Available in App Store or Play Store | Having native iOS or Android apps is a confident sign that the app is legit, but you should still check the other conditions |
| Secure Payments | Dodgy third parties, unregulated payments and providers you have never heard of are all bad signs |
| Transparent Fees | There are no hidden charges, |
| Clear Terms and Conditions | The terms and conditions must state your and the operator’s obligations, and must read like an official contractual document |
| Professional Customer Support | Scams can provide live chat support functions, but these are rarely checked or managed by bots only. Look for more support options and potentially social media presence |
| Transparent Skill Games Design | Games are really against other players, measured by performance and not determined by RNGs |
| Match-Making Policy | Check the site doesn’t use bots, has fair match-making policies, and has protocols to handle cheaters |
| Real Customer Feedback | The best indicator is trusted customer feedback, by real people who spend money on the platforms |
If you do sign up to one of those sites, then be wary of the information you provide or the bank accounts you use. It is always better to just deactivate an account at a dodgy site and sign up at a legit skill games app – and then you know you are in safe hands.
Why Scam Concerns Come Up in Skill Games
The legitimacy of skill games apps, and whether they are scams or not, comes up for multiple reasons. The most common area where players mistrust these apps is in the actual gameplay. But it is also in how the site runs, if they have hidden fees, dodgy payment handling or hide the company details/operations.
The most common comments we see by players are:
Not to give excuses, but the way these games run also opens them up to more criticism.
If you continuously lose at a slot machine, you can claim the RNGs are rigged. When you continuously lose at skill games, it can feel like you are playing against a bot, or an algorithm that is deliberately rigged against you. Players won’t complain if they continuously win at skill games.
While the game outcomes are predominantly determined by your skill and performance, there is an element of luck or chance. So variance – like winning or losing streaks – can occur. So you have to accept that sometimes things won’t go in your way, and at legitimate sites you cannot blame it on RNGs because there aren’t any.
Red Flags That Can Point to a Risky App
Legit skill games apps have nothing to hide, and they conduct fair business. They have clear terms and conditions, or FAQ centers, where they give you all the information about how the skill games run, their legality, and the fairness protocols. There is nothing deceiving about their services.
Dodgy apps and sites, on the other hand, may be deceptively coy about how the games work. They may focus on making big claims about the money making potential of the games, or entice you with lucrative bonus offerings. But when it boils down to who they are, how they conduct the games, and their fairness credentials, the scam sites deliberately leave you guessing.
Unrealistic marketing claims
Legitimate skill game apps do not make claims that the games are more profitable than casino games. They are transparent about the fact that these games, while determined by skill, still involve financial risk. You are not more or less likely to win money here, it is an entirely different playbook from casino games.
Skill games apps can offer bonuses and promotions, but these apps are not really designed for high rollers. If you see a site that claims to provide bonuses worth hundreds or thousands of dollars, be cautious. Also make sure to read the terms about any tournaments that claim to offer substantial prizes to winning players.
Poor transparency on fees, withdrawals, or terms
As skill games pit player vs player, there is no house edge and the skill games app does not make money from your losses. Instead, these apps take a rake or a commission from your entry fees or tournament buy-ins. They can also set deposit/withdrawal charges, as a way to make their cut and keep in business.
This must be made clear in the terms and conditions, and it shouldn’t be something you will learn of only after you have signed up. Make sure to check how the skill games apps can charge you – including inactivity fees, deposit/withdrawal charges, rake/commission from entry fees.
Weak trust signals
Purposely vague terms, little to no customer support, and suspiciously mysterious company ownership are all weak trust signals. You want to know who runs the skill games app, where it is based, and how you can reach out to them. When observing the terms of service or T&Cs, there has to be some mention of the parent company and how you can contact them to resolve disputes.
If the terms are too short, or just generic (and look like they may have been copy-pasted), it is difficult to discern whether you are looking at a scam or not.
Suspicious app store or review patterns
Having iOS or Android apps is already a good sign that the app is run by a real company, and not a skin site or a shadow app that is just after your money and your personal data. Apps that get into the App Store or Play Store must pass the mandatory Review Guidelines. Developers must pay to list their app in these stores, their apps must be approved, and the company must provide a privacy policy – meeting local legal requirements. Seeing an app in either store is already a very good indicator for a legit site.
But you should also check player feedback to make sure that the services are also legit. Quantity of feedback is good – this shows the app is well known and widespread. Quality is also important, as you can’t base your opinion on generic positive or negative feedback.
Unfair skill games or match making
Perhaps one of the most important aspects of playing skill games, the matchmaking and skill factor in games must be fair. Skill games are designed to test you. You launch a game, play it and then when the round finishes your performance is assessed in a scoring format.
This is then matched against a peer with a similar skill level to yours, and the winner takes the prize (in H2H games). There must be clear explanations of how scoring is done in the games.
Also, the match making process must be made clear too, so you know exactly how they pair you with similarly skilled players.
What Legitimate Skill Game Apps Usually Do Better
While the regulation of real money skill games in the US is vague at best, the legitimate platforms do their part by staying aligned with the laws. They do not provide services in states where they are explicitly banned, nor do they sell real money games to minors.
They highlight the legality of skill games, and clearly show how they are compliant with US laws, while offering players support and protection.
Clear rules and visible support
The rules for eligibility, how the skill games are scored, tournament conditions, and payments are all laid out clearly. Legit skill game apps refer to the laws in the US, ensuring you know key points like winning are taxable, you must be 18+ to play, and real money modes are not legally accepted in all states.
What’s more, the rules about the game scoring, matchmaking and any commissions or charges are also clearly stated. You have the guarantees that you are always playing against real people, the match making is not rigged, and that you aren’t going to pay hidden charges along the way.
The customer support is there to answer all your questions about how skill games run, their legality, and how the skill games app works.
Transparent account and payout checks
When signing up at a skill games app, you won’t necessarily need to prove your ID or your address. You may be asked to submit your address, state your full name and date of birth – all without proof. Finally, when you accept the T&Cs, you are entering a legal contract declaring all the information you supplied is accurate.
Legitimate skill games apps do not necessarily check these straightaway after your account is created. They may ask for proof of ID and residence if you pass the $600 tax threshold, at which point your winnings become declarable.
The terms and conditions should state that all the information you provide must be accurate, and that the operator is obliged to protect it. Legitimate apps also use secure payment methods.
These are checked, making sure you aren’t using someone else’s banking details, and authenticated to ensure no one is making any payment requests on your behalf. You may be asked for further verification at withdrawals just to confirm the payment method and your personal details.
Dispute management and resolution
A mark of a professional and legitimate skill games app is its acknowledgement of the need to handle disputes. You may feel a game is rigged, the payouts are not fair, or another part of the service is not right. Legit skill games apps take these inquiries seriously, making formal investigations into any allegations of misconduct or unfair products.
They may provide you with game logs and IDs so you can check and verify the results afterwards. And, while cheating is a rare thing at legit skill games apps, if you were wronged by an opponent who used a script or a bot, then the operator has a protocol for reimbursing you and punishing cheaters.
How to Vet a Skill Game App Before You Deposit
After you deposit at a scam site, the damage is done. You aren’t risking just the money you send to that site, but also any payment details you share, which may be targeted by malware or leaked to dangerous third parties.
But there are plenty of steps you can take to check whether an app is legit or not, and real skill games apps do not mind if you continuously contact support to win trust. It is a part of the process for many newcomers.
Check the company, app listing, and support pages
Having extensive terms and conditions, or loads of FAQs is a strong positive. These show that the company is taking responsibility for its products, and offers a fair product. Skill games sites are mostly designed for mobile gaming, and so having apps listed in the App Store or Play Store is also a strong positive indicator of a legitimate site.
Giving information about the company that runs the site, or the software that powers it, is another goodwill gesture that builds confidence. Dodgy sites tend to avoid this to the largest extent possible, so you don’t really know who to reach out to when you have a dispute, and the company can seemingly vanish into thin air if its reputation tanks hard. A legitimate site will not just up and disappear if you approach it with a dispute, it will address your concerns and open an investigation into any claims where applicable.
Read the withdrawal and eligibility rules
Legitimate skill games apps operate in the framework of the law, as far as the law concerns them in the US. That means, they have to ask for your DoB, full name, and state of residence when you sign up. They do not provide real money games to players in states where it is banned, and don’t take on any underage gamers.
Withdrawals must be internally processed, regardless of whether you are playing at a scam or a legitimate site. The difference between the two, however, is that legitimate sites will give you fair indication of these internal processes. If it takes 6-8 weeks, they will state this. If there are fixed withdrawal fees, these are also made clear early.
Contact customer support to ask about key operational policies
You should find rules or policies relating to the skill factor in games and how matchmaking works at a legitimate site. Though if the terms are confusing or feel a little lean, then don’t hesitate to reach out to customer support. Legitimate skill game apps treat you like a customer and will address your concerns with real responses. They are not trying to con you into sending your money and then taking it.
Specifically, you should look for guarantees that you are not playing against RNGs or bots, the games have been tested for their skill predominance, and that the match-making is conducted in a fair way.
Create an account and test features in demo mode
If you feel confident that you are at a legitimate site, you can go ahead and sign up. The data requested upon signup is quite basic, and you won’t need to provide sensitive information like your SSN, banking details, or exact address. You usually require a name, DoB, state address, and either a phone number or email address. Then, after signing up, you can test the games out for yourself.
Do this in demo mode, using the virtual currencies or free credits that have no monetary worth. After getting a good idea of how the games work and how the app operates, you can look into the payment details. Here you should see if there are any added charges, strange payment gateways, or any dodgy practises. If you see any red flags, then don’t hesitate to deactivate your account. You have lost nothing, and if you do receive spam emails or phishing SMS messages, you can block these.
What to Do If an App Feels Unsafe
The best thing to do if an app feels unsafe or you can’t work out whether it is legitimate or not, is just to avoid the app. You don’t want to risk anything with scammers or fraudulent operators.
There are plenty of legit skill games apps that you can check out instead. Or, to use as a point of reference for how a legitimate skill games app should work.
These apps are completely transparent about their operational framework, who runs them, and how they make money. At dodgy sites, you are not just risking your money, but you run the risk of leaking personal information to unregulated third parties or dangerous hackers, who may use it against you.
You can always deactivate your account, and even block phishing emails or SMS numbers. But it becomes more serious when you need to cancel credit cards or change banking details to avoid attacks. And if you submitted personal information such as your SSN or proof of address, you are putting yourself at risk of identity theft.
FAQs
Are skill games apps licensed in the US?
Skill games apps are not licensed in the US, not because they are scams but because of the lack of regulation. Instead of checking for licensure, check that they comply with US laws about skill games, provide clarity on how their games are fair to play, and that they are run by real companies and not shady offshore operators.
Are skill games apps scams?
No, there are legitimate real money skill games apps, but because the US does not regulate these, the lack of oversight means you may run into dodgy sites. Legitimate skill games have fair games, clear terms and conditions, use secure payment methods, and provide professional customer support.
Do skill games apps use RNGs or bots?
Real skill games apps do not use bots or RNGs to determine game outcomes. You are matched against someone with a similar skill level to yours, and compete against them. The games have the same starting conditions and are scored based on performance, so they give everyone involved a fair chance to win.
Are real money skill games apps rigged?
No, skill games at legitimate sites are not rigged or manipulated in any way. They are based on skill and fair matchmaking systems, and while there is an element of chance involved, the outcome of a game is predominantly based on how well you perform against your peer.
How to spot a legit skill games app?
Legitimate skill game apps and sites have good reputations among players, operate within the framework of the law, and provide clear rules for their games. Specifically, you should check for player eligibility, state availability, how they conduct matchmaking and skill games, and how they manage deposits and withdrawals.
Why do payouts take so long at skill games sites?
Payouts can take much longer at skill games apps because they need to process the withdrawal requests and check your payment details. Legitimate skill games apps are also obliged to report winnings exceeding the $600 tax threshold, which is why they may ask for proof of ID and address.
Do skill games apps require proof of ID?
Legitimate skill game apps do not need to verify your ID when you sign up. You have to give your DoB and full name, and when accepting the terms and conditions, you declare that you are eligible to play. However, they can ask for your SSN and other ID-verification documents if your winnings exceed the $600 tax threshold, at which point your winnings become declarable.
Author: Daniel Craymer
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