Playtech has denied any responsibility for an error that has cost Superbet €30m in Romania.
Thousands of Romanian players have received a significant windfall after Superbet confirmed it will honour winnings as users cashed in on a slots error
Approximately 7,500 accounts won an amount that accumulated to €30m after what the operator described as a series of improperly calculated winnings in the Fire Blaze Red Wizard game.
However, Playtech has vehemently dismissed the notion that the alleged malfunction was caused by an error in their software.
A Playtech spokesperson told iGaming Expert: “We confirm that there are no malfunctions or gameplay issues with this or any other Playtech slot.
“Playtech games are operating as normal, and any reported concerns are unrelated to Playtech game functionality.”
Doing the right thing
Superbet initially put a temporary block on the accounts of players who had taken advantage of the glitch after word spread on messaging platforms.
However, the operator then reversed its decision, allowing players to withdraw the money from their accounts.
In a statement, Superbet explained that despite the circumstances, it will “do what is right for our customers”.
“Following preliminary assessments, we identified a series of improperly calculated winnings, which led to the erroneous awarding of amounts higher than those that should have been awarded according to the random components of the game,” the operator continued.
“By deciding to honour these payments, we demonstrate the assumption of an organisational culture based on trust in relation to customers and the ability to manage unforeseen situations.”
The company also noted that the incident has been fully resolved and the cause is being analysed alongside its partners.
Gala Bingo point to terms and conditions
In the UK, Gala Bingo experienced a similar situation, however, chose to lean on its terms and conditions to remedy the incident.
In August, almost 2,000 players believed they had won up to £10,000 each from a total prize pot of £1.6m, however, customers were unable to withdraw their prize sums. Gala Bingo later informed players their luck had been caused by a technical glitch in the Summer Nights Bingo promotion.
Following the discovery of the problem, Gala Bingo refunded what players had spent on bingo tickets, pointing to its terms and conditions.
A Gala Bingo spokesperson told iGaming Expert: “We apologise to customers for a technical error which occurred during our Summer Nights Bingo promotion for a short period of time, resulting in all players receiving incorrect payouts.
“Our customer Terms and Conditions clearly state that in the event of a malfunction, winnings can be voided. Affected players have been contacted directly with a gesture of goodwill.”
Superbet’s decision to honour winnings is unprecedented among operators, and will once more raise the debate over liability following a technical glitch. In the past, similar payouts have only occurred after lengthy legal battles, as seen in the case involving Paddy Power earlier this year.
