Lotto players report problems placing bets on banking apps

Players across South Africa reported being unable to place National Lottery bets on several banking apps after the new licensed operator, Sizekhaya, began running the lottery, The Citizen reported.

Which apps were affected

The Citizen said Standard Bank, African Bank and Tyme Bank were among the banking apps where many users were unable to place bets. The report said other banking apps also experienced changes that added to player confusion.

Ticket price comments and user reaction

The transition to Sizekhaya was accompanied by changes that some players complained about, including higher ticket prices. The Citizen quoted a social media user saying,

“What is going on with PowerBall? I am not paying R15 for a ticket; soon we won’t afford to even play.”

The Citizen reported that the price increases caught many players by surprise.

Historic data and prize verification

The Citizen reported that detailed information required to verify some prize claims from before the licence transition remained held by the previous operator, delaying certain prize verifications. The Citizen said Sizekhaya told the publication it could not complete some verifications without those historical records.

Sizekhaya’s Chief Operating Officer, Fundi Sithebe, was quoted by The Citizen saying the operator wants valid ticket holders paid as quickly as possible once the necessary information is available.

Communications and responses

The Citizen said it reached out to Sizekhaya about the technical problems affecting banking apps and, at the time of publishing, had not received a response regarding those technical issues.

What readers can do

If you experience problems placing bets or claiming prizes, check the official National Lottery channels, contact your bank’s support, or use retail National Lottery outlets, The Citizen advised. This is general guidance and not financial or legal advice.