A local sports bettor has accused betting company MWOS of unfair practices after the firm allegedly withheld $7,200 in winnings and demanded a refund of $1,000 already paid out.
The bettor, who placed a successful wager on Friday, 18 July, claims he won $8,000 USD through a bet placed via the Moors betting platform.
However, when he attempted to withdraw the full amount the following day, MWOS reportedly only allowed a $1,000 withdrawal, citing a “daily withdrawal limit.”
Things took a dramatic turn on Sunday morning when the punter discovered that his account had been blocked without explanation. By evening, the remaining $7,200 had vanished from his betting account.
“I called to lodge a complaint, but I got no help. I even asked to meet someone face-to-face, and no one showed up,” said the aggrieved bettor. “On Monday, I was finally given a number for their systems manager, who told me the markets I bet on were posted in error, and for that reason, they reversed the entire win and refunded me only the $1 I used to place the bet.”
To make matters worse, MWOS is now allegedly demanding the return of the $1,000 that was already withdrawn, a move the bettor says is both unjust and alarming.
“This is unacceptable. I placed a legitimate bet, and they accepted it. Only after I won did they say it was a mistake on their end. If the error was theirs, why am I being punished?” he added.
Legal experts note that betting platforms are obligated to honour bets once they are accepted and processed, unless clear terms and conditions have been violated.
Consumers have also raised concerns about the lack of transparency and dispute resolution mechanisms in Zimbabwe’s betting industry.
As of publishing, MWOS had not issued a public statement on the matter. The incident has sparked renewed calls for regulatory oversight to protect consumers from arbitrary decisions by betting operators.
