The Pietermaritzburg High Court has ordered 159 gamblers to return R13 million they collectively won from an online betting platform due to a system glitch that allowed them to gamble without risking any of their own money.
In December 2023, these gamblers placed bets on a game called Betgames Instant Lucky 7, owned by Hollywood Sportsbook KwaZulu-Natal (Pty) Ltd. This game, created by a third party, resembled the national lottery, with draws occurring every 30 seconds. When players realized that the game failed to deduct their bets, they exploited the glitch.
Between December 22 and 31, the gamblers won a total of R13 million, with individual winnings starting from R3,000. For instance, Nsikayesizwe Thobelani Gcabashe deposited R50 on December 28 and R850 the next day. After placing 40 bets over four days, he won R443,700 and subsequently withdrew that amount to his personal bank account.
Upon discovering the glitch, Hollywood contacted the winners to request the return of the funds, but the gamblers refused. This led the company to take the matter to court.
On January 5, 2024, Judge Jacqueline Henriques issued a temporary order in favor of Hollywood, but the legal battle continued. Recently, Judge Robin Mossop SC stated that the company’s efforts to recover its money have remained consistent.
The court ordered several banks, including Capitec, Absa, African Bank, Discovery, and Nedbank, to freeze the winners’ accounts. Judge Mossop was not persuaded by the players’ claims that they followed the rules and gambled with their deposited money.
He declared, “The respondents gambled for free.” He explained that since the wagers placed in the faulty game were invalid, the winners were not entitled to keep their winnings.
Judge Mossop noted that the winners submitted similar affidavits, differing only in the amounts won. While he didn’t believe the players conspired to defraud the company, he pointed out that it was unclear who they had informed about the glitch.
He remarked, “The respondents are scattered all over the province and the country, and no relationship has been established to link them together.”
