Lotto operations to run normally after Ithuba Holdings licence temporarily extended

JOHANNESBURG - Lotto operations will continue to run as normal following the temporary extension of Ithuba Holdings’ licence.

Ithuba’s lottery licence expired on Saturday, however, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition has renewed it for one more year.

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This was made possible by the department appealing a court judgment that ordered it to limit Ithuba’s temporary extension to five months.

Ithuba Holdings has been the National Lottery operator since 2015.

Its eight-year licence expired in 2023, and it has been renewed twice on a one-year basis.

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition was taken to court in 2025 to prevent it from renewing it a third time.

On 21 May, the Pretoria High Court ruled that the department could only offer a renewal licence of five months. This ruling was later upheld on 30 May by the same court on a related matter.

However, in a statement, the department said it was appealing the 21 May ruling, meaning its order is nullified pending the outcome of the appeal.

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In a media statement, Ithuba said it agreed to the contract extension in the best interest of the South African public. 

“As a proudly 100% black-owned South African operator, Ithuba remains steadfast in its commitment to operate the National Lottery with integrity, transparency, and for the benefit of South Africans. Participants can rest assured that all games, draws, and prize pay-outs will continue as normal, with the same exciting jackpots and seamless service that they are accustomed to,” it said.