Punters have the game at their fingertips

By Lyse Comins and Barbara Cole

Lotto operators on Wednesday threw open the multi-million draw to cellphone users, making it possible to play the game from home or anywhere else.

The facility will be open immediately to tens of thousands of people linked to one bank. But the door will be opened to millions of South Africans when all major banks get involved by the end of the year, according to Gidani, the national lottery operator.

For the first time on the continent, lottery players will be able to play their favourite game of chance via their cellphone, at bank ATMs across the country and through online banking, it was announced on Wednesday.

However, consumer and gambling groups have expressed concern about the move saying that it is a step that could make other types of gambling more accessible to children and compulsive gamblers.

And a national consumer group said it would try to scupper the new scheme.

Initially, only First National Bank clients will be able to play Lotto this way, but other banks have also said that they would come on board later in the year, Dr Bongani Khumalo, chairman and chief executive of Gidani, the National Lottery operator, announced at a press conference in Johannesburg.

Read the full story in the Daily News