In Biscay, a Club Sold Extra Lottery Tickets: Police Investigate the Case. In Igorre, the Arratiko Zekorrak club admitted to an error in selling lottery tickets. More than 80 people did not receive winnings totaling over 2 million euros. Police have launched an investigation into a possible fraud scheme.
A scandal has erupted in Igorre (Biscay) around the local rugby club Arratiko Zekorrak: dozens of residents were left without their promised winnings after the Christmas lottery. The club admitted it mistakenly issued 225 more tickets than were actually purchased and is now unable to pay out over €2.1 million to more than 80 affected individuals.
The problem came to light when some of the winners, including Beatriz Zamacona, were unable to collect their winnings. According to her, the organizers initially promised payment within a month, but later stated that the funds had run out. Juan Mari Gurtubai found himself in a similar situation and has already contacted a lawyer. He noted that some received payments despite turning in their tickets later than others, which caused additional discontent among participants.
Investigation and reaction
The Basque Country police (Ertzaintza) have already registered 43 official complaints and launched an investigation on suspicion of fraud. According to the security department, statements are still being filed, and among the victims are those who had counted on the winnings to pay for housing or a mortgage. The club claims the error was discovered only at the final stage of the payouts, when the money ran out and new claims kept coming in.
Internal failure and consequences
The president of the Arratiko Zekorrak club, Unai Suloaga, explained that the failure occurred due to exceeding the sales volume. The club acquired 285 lottery tickets, each of which brought in over 14 million euros in total, and the tickets were distributed among players, their families, and local residents. However, because of an internal error, more tickets were sold than actually existed, which led to a shortfall of funds.
The situation triggered a wave of outrage in Igorre: those affected are discussing possible protest actions and are gathering for meetings. Debate continues on social networks and messaging apps, with many seeking legal protection. In January, the club publicly acknowledged the complexity of the payout procedure and promised clarification, but since February, no new official announcements have appeared. The deadline for submitting tickets was extended, but no solution to the issue has been found yet.
Context and analogies
The case in Biscay is reminiscent of recent lottery incidents in other regions of Spain, when technical or organizational errors led to mass discontent and police intervention. The country has already seen situations where residents were left without expected payouts due to prize distribution failures. Against the backdrop of such incidents, authorities are stepping up control over the transparency of lottery operations. In other regions, for example, after large-scale natural disasters, local authorities have also faced the need to urgently respond to mass complaints and conduct investigations — as happened after devastating winds in Catalonia, when authorities assessed the damage and sought solutions to the problems.
