All Lotto Players in South Africa have been urged to withdraw all remaining funds from their Ithuba Holdings online lottery accounts before May 31 2026.

Ithuba Holdings is preparing to shut down its digital platform ahead of Sizekhaya Holdings taking over National Lottery operations from June 1. The closure follows the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition’s decision to award South Africa’s Fourth National Lottery and Sports Pools License to Sizekhaya Holdings in May 2025.

Ithuba will cease all operations at the end of May 2026. This brings its long-running role as National Lottery operator to a close after a final 12-month temporary license extension. The lottery firm challenged the license award in the Pretoria High Court, alleging irregularities in the tender process. They stated claims that elements of the bid evaluation process and scoring criteria were handled irregularly. However, the interdict application was dismissed in November 2025.

Sizekhaya has recruited staff, onboarding retailers and is preparing marketing campaigns ahead of launch. The operator has highlighted its expanded access plans and bigger jackpot strategy. Chief Operating Officer Fundi Sithebe believes that Sizekhaya is focused on ensuring a smooth transition while expanding accessibility across the country. This through banking platforms, retail outlets and handheld devices.

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Sizekhaya Plans for the Future of Lottery in South Africa!

Sizekhaya outlined plans to modernise the lottery through new games, fewer rollovers, more frequent jackpots and improved winning opportunities. The new owners are planning to reintroduce live televised draws as part of its wider transparency strategy.

The company aims to work with smaller B2B SMEs to improve access for players in rural and informal communities. This also while strengthening the National Lottery’s wider social role in supporting communities in need. The shutdown of Ithuba’s online accounts has become one of the clearest signs that South Africa’s next National Lottery era is approaching.