NEW South African lottery launching in 2026 … Are you ready?

Even avid Lotto players might not know a new South African lottery is on the way in just two months’ time. That’s correct, the government’s Fourth National Lottery and Sports Pools Licence was awarded to a new operator back in May 2025.

The successful consortium was Sizekhaya Holdings, backed by KwaZulu-Natal businessmen Moses Tembe and Sandile Zungu. The National Lottery tender, reportedly worth R180 billion, is for a five-year term, starting on Monday 1 June 2026.  

NEW SOUTH AFRICAN LOTTERY IN 2026

Awarded by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC), the current operator, ITHUBA, has only a 12-month temporary licence ending this May. Therefore, the new South African lottery in 2026 won’t run simultaneous but rather as a staged transition to Sizekhaya Holdings.

However, this is what regular Lotto and PowerBall players might not know … ITHUBA is not going down without a fight over the new South African lottery in 2026. It launched urgent court proceedings in the Pretoria High Court to stop the implementation of the new licence award to Sizekhaya. But on what grounds?

ALLEGED IRREGULARITIES, POLITICAL CONNECTIONS

The firm alleges DTIC Minister Parks Tau abandoned the original scoring criteria and allowed premature negotiations with Sizekhaya. The media has been awash with the company’s alleged political connections to Deputy President Paul Mashatile. Likewise, ITHUBA argues that Sizekhaya’s committee members are unqualified for the job. However, Judge Ronel Tolmay dismissed the interdict application back in November 2025.

First and foremost, she ruled that it was in the public interest to keep the National Lottery running smoothly. And this outweighed any commercial grievances ITHUBA may have with the decision. Nevertheless, the review application is still ongoing and may yet have consequences if any irregularities are indeed proven by ITHUBA against the DTIC.

WHAT WILL CHANGE UNDER NEW SOUTH AFRICAN LOTTERY?

Nevertheless, Sizekhaya Holdings says ‘nothing will stop’ their preparation for Monday 1 June 2026. It says it is actively recruiting staff, signing retailers and sharpening marketing campaigns ahead of the scheduled takeover. Better still, it promises to expand the lottery with more frequent jackpots. And improve its accessibility footprint through banking, retail and handheld device platforms.

Specifically, Sizekhaya wants more widespread retailer terminals in the townships and rural areas . “We are integrating many more terminals in this new South African lottery. We are partnering with smaller SMEs in informal areas. As such, the lottery will be accessible through B2B partners using small handheld devices. We have also adjusted the jackpot structure, allowing jackpots to grow bigger and roll over more frequently,” concluded the soon-to-be lottery operator.

But will there be a clean handover from ITHUBA to Sizekhaya in just over two months’ time? Or will there be legal issues come 1 June 2026? Share your thoughts in the comments section below …