Canterbury man behind NZ’s largest illegal lottery gets community detention

Wednesday, 24 June 2026

A young Rangiora man prosecuted for running the country’s largest ever illegal lottery will serve six months community detention and have to carry out 250 hours of community service.

Waiariki McIlroy-Jones and his company Jonez LRC generated $11.1 million in little over a year by selling 287,000 entries to 58 lotteries between June 2022 and July 2023.

The winners were drawn on livestream and millions of dollars reinvested in bigger and bolder prizes, culminating in his final and biggest offer: a four bedroom home or $700,000 in cash.

Jones did not scam the people following him, in that winners did receive their prizes, but he broke a host of strict gambling regulations. His operation was shut down before a winner of the home could be announced.

He initially denied any wrongdoing, but pleaded guilty in January.

Judge Raoul Neave, who sentenced him at the Christchurch District Court on Wednesday, said in May that McIlroy-Jones would avoid jail for his crimes.

At the time, his lawyer Katherine Basire told Neave the ordeal had been a “huge and expensive lesson” for her young client.

“He is remorseful, I’ve spent a considerable amount of time with him, and he does now understand the public welfare regulatory aspect of the Gambling Act.”