You can still play Lotto today, after last minute announcement

There will be no disruptions to lottery operations as Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau has appointed a temporary licensee.

Tau announced on Saturday that he has concluded successful negotiations with Ithuba Holdings and signed a temporary licence agreement for them to operate the National Lottery and Sports Pool for a period of 12 months, effective from 1 June 2025.

On 28 May 2025, Tau announced the successful conclusion and appointment of Sizekhaya Holdings (RF) (Pty) Ltd (“Sizekhaya”) as the fourth National Lottery and Sports Pools operator.

Ithuba’s licence ends today.

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Eight applications to take over from Ithuba Holdings had been on the table.

The licence will cover operations for all national games, as well as sports pool products.

Sizekhaya’s appointment takes effect on 1 June 2026 and requires a transition from the third National Lottery and Sports Pools operations to the fourth National Lottery and Sports Pools Licence operations, said Tau.

“On advice of the National Lotteries Commission, I also authorised that a temporary licensee must be appointed in terms of section 13B of the Lotteries Act, 1997. The temporary licence will ensure the continuation of the operations in the period that the transition is required from the third to the fourth licence operations,” said Tau on Saturday.

“I am pleased that the National Lottery operations will not be interrupted during the transition from third to fourth licence operations and that worthy causes will continue to receive support.”

Outgoing lottery operator Ithuba disappointed

Following the minister’s announcement of the new operator, Ithuba said they were “deeply disappointed” that the department would negate their contribution to the country’s lottery infrastructure.

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“As a fully South African-owned and black-empowered operator, Ithuba Lottery has invested significantly in developing the first African central lottery system, owned and developed for Africa by South Africans,” stated the outgoing operator.

“This decision disregards the progress made in building a truly home-grown lottery ecosystem that empowers small businesses, drives local job creation, and channels maximum revenue to good causes,” it added.

Ithuba’s legal team will consider the legal implications of the decision before deciding on a way forward.

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Additional reporting by Jarryd Westerdale