Hungary’s National Lottery operator Szerencsejáték Zrt has asked regulators to investigate after four of its lottery games produced jackpot winners in the same week.
In a statement, the company said it had voluntarily initiated an official review into the integrity of the draw process and the proper, unbiased operation of the IT systems used in the draws.
The move follows concerns raised in the press and on social media about the fairness of the results.
Szerencsejáték Zrt stated: ‘’The process of draws is strictly regulated, audited by international organizations, and frequently controlled by domestic authorities.
The draw devices are always certified by the metrology body, and are placed in a room with a security lock, closed by a notary outside the draw time.’’
The unusual coincidence is not unprecedented, with similar instances reported in 2018 and 2000.
The operator has also pledged to publish the findings of the gambling supervisory authority’s investigation in an effort to address public concerns.
In earlier news from the country, billionaire István Garancsi became the majority owner of Sopron Casino after the Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH) approved his company’s transition from minority to majority shareholder.
Garancsi now owns seven Hungarian casinos, including the Sopron venue, five in Budapest and one in Debrecen. Only the casinos in Miskolc, Győr and Pécs remain outside his portfolio.
The Orbán Government increased the limit on casino ownership, allowing a single owner to hold stakes in up to seven casinos instead of the previous maximum of five.
At the beginning of the year, Hungary blocked access to Polymarket, citing concerns over illegal gambling activity
