Gala Bingo Glitch Mistakenly Pays 700+ Players

More than 700 Gala Bingo players believed they had won a share of a GBP1.6 million ($2.2 million) jackpot, only to later discover it was a technical error leading to many disappointments.

Gala Bingo Glitch Leaves Hundreds of Players Devastated After Jackpot Error

Gala Bingo players who saw thousands of pounds credited to their accounts were left devastated after being told their winnings were not real. Several users received notifications claiming they had won an online bingo game, and some were even able to withdraw funds. However, they were later informed that a “technical error” had occurred and the winnings would not be paid out.

Players shared screenshots of their winnings in a Facebook group, with some appearing to have received over GBP2,000 (around $2,700). However, they later received a message stating: “Unfortunately, due to a technical error on Monday, 4 August, your account was incorrectly credited with Bingo winnings.”

A spokesperson for Gala Bingo apologized for a technical error that occurred during the Summer Nights Bingo promotion, which briefly resulted in all players receiving incorrect payouts. They explained that the company’s customer terms and conditions clearly state that winnings may be voided in the event of a malfunction. Affected players were contacted directly and offered a gesture of goodwill.

Affected Players Speak Out

Naturally, the error resulted in much frustration with individuals who initially thought they had won, only to be told that it was a technical error afterwards. More than 170 people have joined the Facebook group “Justice for Gala Victims” to share their experiences. Some also reached out to news outlets to tell their story.

One of them, Emma Wills, a 34-year-old mother of three from London, was mistakenly credited with GBP920 (around $1,250). She described her initial reaction as one of shock, saying she had started planning to treat her children during the school holidays, pay off some debts, and contribute toward buying a car. All of these plans were quickly dashed when the error was revealed.

Adam Wall, another victim, was mistakenly awarded three separate sums of GBP2,400 (about $3,250), totaling GBP7,200 ($9,760), which he promptly withdrew. He had planned to use the money to marry his partner of ten years.

However, the following morning, he discovered that his Gala Bingo account had been closed and the money had disappeared. After contacting the operator, he was informed that a technical glitch had caused the incorrect jackpot payouts.

Wall said he has felt “frustrated, disappointed, disheartened, and low” since receiving the news. Gala Bingo has said it has informed the UK’s Gambling Commission of the incident and has also compensated many players with a GBP20 ($27) credit.