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After almost two years of lengthy legal proceedings, the Pietermaritzburg High Court has ruled that 159 gamblers must pay back the R13 million they won from Hollywood Sportsbook. This ruling comes after a significant system glitch allowed these players to bet without risking any of their own money.
In December 2023, the group played the Betgames Instant Lucky 7, operated by Hollywood Sportsbook KwaZulu-Natal (Pty) Ltd. This game, resembling the national lottery with draws every 30 seconds, became the center of controversy when players discovered that their bets were not being deducted. This led to players taking advantage and placing numerous bets without financial stakes.
Hollywood asked players to return funds
The glitch lasted for seven days between December 22 and 31, with gamblers collectively raking in R13 million. For example, Nsikayesizwe Thobelani Gcabashe made a small deposit of R50 on the 28th and added R850 the following day. After placing 40 bets over four days, he managed to win R443,700 and promptly transferred that amount to his personal bank account.
Once Hollywood became aware of the glitch, they reached out to the winners to request the return of funds. However, they all decline to comply, prompting the company to escalate the issue to the court.
On January 5, 2024, Judge Jacqueline Henriques issued a temporary ruling in favor of Hollywood, but the legal dispute continued. Judge Robin Mossop SC also confirmed in his recent statements that the company’s effort to recover its money has been consistent.
Banks ordered to freeze winners’ accounts
As part of its ruling, the court directed several banks, including Capitec, Absa, African Bank, Discovery, and Nedbank, to freeze the accounts of the winners.
Judge Mossop dismissed the players’ claims that they had followed the rules and had gambled with their own deposited funds. He stated clearly, “The respondents gambled for free,” emphasizing that the bets made in the faulty game were invalid, which meant the winners had no right to keep their earnings.
He also observed that the winners submitted nearly identical affidavits, with only the amounts won varying among them. While he did not believe the players had conspired to defraud the betting company, he pointed out that it remained unclear who they had informed about the glitch in the game.
“The respondents are scattered all over the province and the country, and no relationship has been established to link them together,” he stated.
Source: Find More Africa
