<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>High-profile businessman Adrian Portelli has been cleared of running illegal lotteries, but his business has been fined $40,000.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The 36-year-old </span><a href="http://www.9news.com.au/melbourne" rel="" target="" title="Melbourne"><span>Melbourne</span></a><span> billionaire was found not guilty today of nine charges of assisting in the conduct of an unlawful lottery in </span><a href="http://www.9news.com.au/south-australia" rel="" target="" title="South Australia"><span>South Australia</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>His business, Xclusive Tech Pty Ltd, which trades under the name LMCT+, was found guilty of 10 counts of conducting an unlawful lottery.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/mortgage-rate-increase-big-four-banks-pass-on-rba-hike/f00e085d-8077-44f2-92b5-22cbee5b7442" rel="" target="" title="Big banks hike variable and fixed rates - but not all customers will feel it right away"><strong><span>Big banks hike variable and fixed rates - but not all customers will feel it right away</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>On social media, Portelli shared a news story on the court's decision and commented "thank you very much".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I'm clear, business $40,000 fine," he wrote.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They would've made more money from me issuing the permits that are entitled to the business to begin with."</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/adrian-portelli-lambo-guy-swipe-as-company-fined-for-illegal-lottery-courts-news/2cffa06f-14c8-44d7-b0cf-d9eeda668dbf" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The charges, instigated by SA's Consumer and Business Services, alleged Portelli's business did not hold a licence to conduct 10 separate lotteries between January 29, 2023 and May 16, 2024.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Magistrate Melanie Murton said that she accepted that "the parties' swords were apparently drawn" over whether the commissioner should issue a licence to Xclusive Tech to conduct trade promotion lotteries in SA.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Portelli's company offers members subscriptions to a rewards club that includes entries to win cars and properties.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Under SA law, any trade promotion lotteries with prizes exceeding $5000 need a licence to operate and entries must be free of charge.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The primary products being bought and sold for value were the draw entries," Burton found.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"In my view, the draw entries are at the very heart of the transactions.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I find, beyond any reasonable doubt, that XT conducted 10 standard lotteries as alleged."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She fined the company $40,000. Each offence carried a maximum penalty of $10,000.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But she found Portelli not guilty.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I am not prepared to find that the simple act of drawing an entry in a lottery is … sufficient to bring it within the scope of the substantive offence of assisting in the conduct of an unlawful lottery," Burton said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Portelli gained fame as "the Lambo Guy" in 2022, after arriving at a house auction for </span><em><span>The Block</span></em><span> in a yellow Lamborghini.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><span>The Block</span></em><span> is broadcast by Nine Entertainment, the publisher of this website.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/tropical-cyclone-narelle-severe-storm-batters-western-australia-coastline/5f398dd7-33fb-4e2e-8226-79371f263552" rel="" target="" title="Tropical Cyclone Narelle to make landfall near Coral Bay after smashing WA's Pilbara coast"><strong><span>Tropical Cyclone Narelle to make landfall near Coral Bay after smashing WA's Pilbara coast</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In the 2024 series of the reality show, he spent $15.03 million to acquire all five homes on offer.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>While three of the four prize properties were featured on </span><em><span>The Block</span></em><span>, nothing in this case turned on that, Burton said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Portelli was not in court for the decision.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Outside court during the two-day trial last September, he agreed the prosecution was a waste of taxpayers' money.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I'm not going to sit down and let them walk all over me, I'm going to fight it," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He had previously stated on social media that if he were convicted, he would "round it up to $200,000".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><strong><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=9news.com.au" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>