A Lagos-based law firm, Pro-lex Solicitors, represents over 114 clients who allege they were unfairly denied winnings by the sports betting platform SportyBet. At a press conference via Zoom on Friday, the Lead Partner of the law firm, Mr. Kunle Bamidele, revealed that the clients claim SportyBet demanded excessive personal information, then blocked their accounts and withheld their winnings.
According to Bamidele, the total amount of allegedly withheld winnings is a staggering ¦960,550,000. He stated, “We have reviewed the clients’ claims and believe they have a strong case. We have filed a petition with a regulatory agency, arguing that SportyBet’s data collection practices are unreasonable and their account blocking unfair.”
In addition to filing the petition, Pro-lex Solicitors has approached the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) due to concerns about possible money laundering by SportyBet. While no lawsuit has been filed yet, Bamidele mentioned that they are prepared to take that step if necessary. Their primary goal is to raise public awareness and encourage other potential victims to come forward.
Bamidele also questioned the legality of SportyBet’s operations and urged the government to investigate the company. He noted that the regulatory agency has acknowledged and is currently reviewing the petition. Bamidele assured that updates on the case would continue to be provided as they become available.
In response to the allegations, a representative from SportyBet, Beulah Akingbelu, claimed that the law firm was attacking its site and was sponsored by a competitor. Akingbelu stated, “I really don’t know what they want to gain. I have the name of the law firm that held the press conference that started all these things. And I told them by Monday, we will speak with them, understand the problem, and then resolve it.”
