I have gathered all possible news regarding the lottery transition in South Africa happening on 1st June, from Ithuba to Sizekhaya. Some game rules will be changed, live draws and scratch cards will be back. The new lottery will be playable in the app or a mobile web browser.
Sizekhaya news
On 1 June, all existing National Lottery equipment will cease to function. The sizekhaya lottery technology is entirely new, so all retailers need to apply to become approved outlets. Ask your retailer if they are ready for the transition for uninterrupted lottery service, or find a new one.
Return of the Physical Scratchcards
As a lottery fan, I strongly support the idea of bringing back the scratch cards. These are the fun play options, giving the players a chance for instant win, without waiting for the draw results.
Changes in popular lottery games
You can play up to 10 consecutive draws, also there will be changes to game rules and pricing:
- Powerball is now Powerball and Powerball Xtra with 5 numbers (1-50) and an additional (1-16) for a price of R10. Xtra additional cost is R5.
- Lotto is now Lotto and Lotto Plus 1 and Lotto 5 Max addon. Lotto consists of 6 numbers (1-52) for the price of R10. Lotto Plus 1 and 5 Max is the additional cost of R2.50 each. Plus 1 enters as the second chance and 5 Max for the third.
- Fixtures are now Matchplay. Choose 1 for team 1 win or 2, or X for the draw. Every single board costs R2; you can use the multiply option.
- Daily Lotto remains the same, with a new price of R3.
There will also be new cascading jackpot mechanism, which guarantees that jackpots will be won at least once a month. With no top results match, the amount will be distributed across prize tiers 1 to 3.
Also, a new play option will be introduced - play with a QR code. Just show your QR code with your selected numbers to the retailer.
Live draws!
The new operator will bring back the live televised lottery draw. It is a crucial part of lottery transparency. The live draws were abandoned a few years ago and replaced with computerised draws.
How to play in between May and June
You can play SA lottery normally, but be aware that advanced play changes every day till takeover. The number of future draws you can enter is reducing each draw (Powerball up to 29 May, Lotto 30 May).
If you win, you will still be eligible for payout even after the Ithuba licence ends.
All current online lottery accounts will be closed on 31 May 2026. You should use all your funds before the deadline or withdraw them before 25 May, however Ithuba states that funds will also be reachable after this date. The current lottery operator asks to withdraw your funds by 25 May 2026, so there is enough time to process withdrawals before wallets close on 31 May 2026. Accounts cannot be transferred to the new operator because of data protection and regulatory requirements.
Ithuba temporary licence controversy
Ihuba's license expired in 2025; however, the company was granted a temporary extension/license leading up to 2026. The problem was that nobody was ready to take over. A new operator, Sizekhaya Holdings, had been chosen to run the lottery for the next eight years, but they needed time to set everything up - hiring staff, buying equipment, building the tech infrastructure. The government's second option was to shut down the lottery completely, and it was unacceptable.