Kingston pair each hit with $100,000 fine after Jones Town lottery raid

The Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC) says a man and a woman from Jones Town, Kingston 12, were taken into custody and later ordered to pay $100,000 each over alleged illegal lottery activity.

According to the commission, its Enforcement Department, working with the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), keeps mounting focused operations islandwide against unauthorised lottery schemes.

“On Friday, May 29, 2026, the BGLC’s Enforcement Department and members of the JCF conducted a joint illegal lottery deterrence operation in Jones Town, Kingston 12. During the operation one male and one female were arrested for their alleged involvement in illegal lottery activities,” BGLC said.

“The individuals were taken to the Denham Town Police Station where they were formally charged with offences under the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act. During the operation, several items of evidentiary value believed to be connected to the illegal lottery activities were seized and documented by members of the JCF, in accordance with established procedures.”

The case went before the Half-Way-Tree Parish Court. Both defendants entered guilty pleas and were convicted. The court imposed a fine of $100,000 on each person, with 30 days in prison if the fine is not paid.

BGLC is urging Jamaicans to recognise that underground lottery schemes undermine the country’s licensed gaming sector. Anyone who takes part in, enables, or backs unlawful gaming risks prosecution.

“The commission remains committed to working alongside the JCF and other law enforcement partners to detect, deter, and disrupt illegal lottery operations across Jamaica, while ensuring that the gaming industry operates within a framework of fairness, accountability, and public protection,” BGLC added.

BGLC regulates betting, gaming and lottery businesses in Jamaica and seeks to keep those activities lawful, open and responsibly run.