Pietermaritzburg High Court compelled 159 individuals to repay R13 million gained through a betting system malfunction. The December 2023 incident involved Betgames Instant Lucky 7, an online lottery game operated by Hollywood sportsbook KwaZulu-Natal. Players discovered that wagers remained undeducted from their accounts during gameplay. Gamblers exploited this technical error over several days before the company detected the problem. Individual winnings ranged from R3,000 to nearly R500,000.
Judge Robin Mossop SC rejected the players' arguments defending their actions as rule-compliant behavior. The court determined that participants had gambled without financial risk, making their wagers invalid. Hollywood initially contacted winners requesting voluntary fund returns before pursuing legal action. Judge Jacqueline Henriques granted a temporary order in January 2024 supporting the company. The final ruling ordered immediate repayment of all disputed amounts.
Financial institutions received court orders to freeze affected player accounts until full restitution occurs. Capitec, Absa, African Bank, Discovery, and Nedbank must maintain these restrictions. The judge found no evidence suggesting coordinated fraud among the scattered participants.
Judge Robin Mossop SC rejected the players' arguments defending their actions as rule-compliant behavior. The court determined that participants had gambled without financial risk, making their wagers invalid. Hollywood initially contacted winners requesting voluntary fund returns before pursuing legal action. Judge Jacqueline Henriques granted a temporary order in January 2024 supporting the company. The final ruling ordered immediate repayment of all disputed amounts.
Financial institutions received court orders to freeze affected player accounts until full restitution occurs. Capitec, Absa, African Bank, Discovery, and Nedbank must maintain these restrictions. The judge found no evidence suggesting coordinated fraud among the scattered participants.
