Bingo players told winnings ‘don’t exist’ in £1.6m glitch

Gala Bingo players who had thousands of pounds credited to their accounts were left devastated when they were informed that their winnings did not exist.

- REBECCA WHITTAKER

Several players received notifications saying they had won an online bingo game, with some able to withdraw the money. But they were informed there had been a “technical error” and they would not be receiving the winnings.

Emma Wills, a 34-year-old mother of three from London, was mistakenly credited £920. She told Sky News: “I was shocked, I was thinking, oh my gosh, I can take the kids out somewhere nice while they’re with me for the holidays, I can pay off a few of my debts, and I can give money for a car, and obviously that quickly went out the window.”