Full Breakdown
Level Up Giveaways Collapses, Leaving Winners Without Prizes
By Drooid · · How we work
Company Collapse and Unpaid Prizes
Level Up Giveaways, a pay-to-enter competition operator based in Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, was wound up at the High Court in August 2025 after failing to pay tens of thousands of pounds in promised winnings. Its sole director, Anton Hall, was declared bankrupt in November 2025 in separate proceedings. The BBC reports that the firm owed large sums to customers before it stopped trading, and that Hall’s alleged involvement in a new prize-draw venture could breach his bankruptcy order and constitute a criminal offence.
Key Individuals Affected
Among the promised winners were Ami Shuttleworth, a 34-year-old mother-of-one from Middlesbrough, and her fiancé Chris Smith, who believed a £10,000 prize would cover their wedding costs. Mel Higgins, a 33-year-old driving consultant from Chippenham, expected a £5,000 award to clear credit-card debt and fund her business. Both later learned they would receive none of the advertised sums, prompting anger and disappointment.
Official Responses and Legal Context
Hall told the BBC that he has not set up or owned a limited company and that the competitions were run personally through the Raffall platform, an independent website that enables individuals to host their own prize draws. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has described prize draws and competitions as a “significant and growing market,” underscoring regulatory interest in the sector.
Implications for the Prize-Draw Market
The collapse highlights risks for participants in pay-to-enter schemes, especially when operators fail to meet financial obligations. If Hall proceeds with new draws while under bankruptcy restrictions, he could face criminal prosecution. The case also raises broader concerns about consumer protection in a market the government acknowledges as expanding rapidly.