JOHANNESBURG – After the High Court rejected an application by the National Lottery Commission to extend Itaba's business license, it's running out of time for punters to test their lottery and luck.
The license for current operator Isaba Holdings expired on May 31, 2023, but the committee extended the agreement for two years and ended.
However, on Friday, May 30, 2025, the National Lottery Committee lost its bid in the High Court of Pretoria to extend the operating license of Isaba.
Judge Mooki rejected the request to extend Isaba's license and stated, “The remedies sought involve the authority the court will exercise very modestly.
“The committee has not filed a lawsuit for the relief it seeks.”
Judge Mooki ruled the application was “urgent,” but he rejected it.
The judge ordered the applicant (the committee) and the first respondent (the minister of trade, industry and competition) to pay the costs of three lawyers.
The award means that there will be no lottery operators from Sunday, June 1, 2025.
Explaining his refusal to extend his license, Judge Mooki said, “It would be surprising to the court that the Minister could not appoint an operator temporarily for a year.
“This is because the Minister has more latitude in appointing temporary operators, as opposed to fully licensed operators.
“If you refuse to sign a contract to carry out the lottery business, as determined by Itba Lottery on May 21, 2025, we will not accept that the sky will fall after June 1, 2025.”
Ithuba refused to sign the extension.
The committee claimed that Isaiba Lottery could not require accepting a temporary license for five months, resulting in a suspension of operations on the National Lottery for nine months starting in June 2025.
“There will be no lottery tickets during that period,” the committee said.
