Popular Nigerian sports betting company, SportyBet, has come under intensed criticism following accusations of denying multiple users their legitimate winnings and shutting down their accounts after complaints.
The allegations which have sparked outrage among punters, has led many Nigerians taking to their social media to share their frustrations using the hashtag #SportyBetScam.
A user, Chisom Perpetual, who registered on the platform in September 2023 and has amassed the sum of N61 million, has been denied withdrawal access. She says she has reached out to their customer service severally via phone calls and also exchanged tons of emails with them.
She explains that “They blocked my account from withdrawals but I can still place bets. Why would I want to take more risks when they are not allowing me to cash out the games that I have won?”, she questioned. “I have provided all the requested documents to verify my authenticity, it keeps saying successful but I still can’t withdraw.”
Another user, identified as Ayo, explained how he and his wife were both logged out of their accounts and have not been granted access even after complaining. “In my wife’s case, she provided all the requested documents, and now they are asking her to provide a utility bill with her name on it which is not possible as the utility bills have my name on it.” he said. “I’m forced to believe that they are trying to frustrate our efforts to gain access to our account and withdraw what is rightfully ours. It is clear that they don’t want us to withdraw our money, which is unfair,” he added.
Aina Busola, a frequent bettor, said she bets on different platforms, not just on football but Casino and Basketball. However, her SportyBet account with winnings of almost N8 million has been restricted.
She noted that she was logged out of the account involuntarily and has since not been able to gain access. “I just need SportyBet to give me back my money,” she stated. “What’s even more painful is their customer service; when you contact them, they act like you are disturbing them,” Busola added.
One user who wished to remain anonymous, recounted his ordeal to reporters. “My withdrawal request was rejected for no reason and my account was blocked,” they said. “I was asked to re-verify my account but nothing was done after I sent the requested information. They are holding my N450,000 and refusing to allow me to withdraw my winnings.”
These are not isolated cases as several other users totalling over 50 have come forward with similar stories, alleging that SportyBet has withheld their winnings worth over N1 billion and deactivated their accounts without explanation.
These allegations have raised questions about SportyBet’s practices and their commitment to fair play and if these actions are an indication of the financial health of the company.
In recent time there has been intensed call on the Nigerian government to ban betting platforms who indulge in sharp practices.
Many users of the platform wants the Federal Government to investigate SportyBet over the allegations.
Efforts to get the reaction of SportyBet to these allegations have been unsuccessful. AIT.live however indicates that the platform is free to reach out to it with its own side of the story.