The sophisticated lab operated by Stanley Hou, 37, was uncovered after neighbours reported chemical odours coming from his unit to an ACTEW Water trade waste officer investigating a possible chemical spill in August 2014.

Hou spoke to the waste officer when he knocked, coming outside and closing the door behind him.

The worker noticed Hou's eyes were red and, growing increasingly suspicious, he alerted police and WorkSafe ACT.

Police who raided the Sheppard Street building immediately noticed a strong chemical smell and saw glass beakers, drums of chemicals, a heating element, a small work station and laboratory equipment.

Officers seized breathing apparatus, face masks, beakers, funnels, cylinders, flasks, commercial-grade hot plates, commercial stirrers and white chemical suits.

They also discovered internet searches for phrases including "how to grow MDMA crystals" and "lab supply" on Hou's laptop.

Hou was charged and initially pleaded not guilty to drug offences.

A trial set down for March was abandoned when he instead pleaded guilty to manufacturing MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, drug trafficking and possessing a large commercial quantity of a controlled precursor.

During a hearing last month, the ACT Supreme Court was told Hou had a long-standing betting addiction and claimed he set up the lab to help service gambling debts of more than $60,000 owed to a bookie.

The court also heard Hou had a difficult childhood and his family moved to the ACT from Sydney after his father was bashed to death at Kings Cross on Christmas Eve in 1986. It was an unsolved murder thought to be related to gambling debts.

In sentencing Hou on Tuesday, Acting Justice David Robinson said he was not convinced there was a causative relationship between Hou's gambling problem and his drug manufacturing.

"It may well be that, on the balance of probabilities, the offender has a gambling addition or material problem with gambling," Acting Justice Robinson said.

"It may well be that the offender gambles. However, the extent of any addiction or problem is not clear, nor the extent of its impact on the offender."

Acting Justice Robinson took into account Hou's role in planning, setting up and acting as drug cook in the operation and the fact it ran for about 10 months.

He also acknowledged it hadn't been proved that Hou sold any of the drugs, and it was not clear how much ecstasy he made.

The judge found Hou, who was married with two young daughters and previously worked as a financial planner, had good prospects for rehabilitation and limited chances of reoffending.

"I accept that he is remorseful for what he has done, but it must be reiterated that the manufacturing operation was very much on foot until the moment of its discovery."

He also found Hou did not lack an insight into his own behaviour nor its effect on others.

"Apart from the incursion into drug manufacturing, the offender has lived a good and useful life," he said.

But he said a sentence of imprisonment was the only appropriate penalty.

Acting Justice Robinson sentenced Hou to four years behind bars with a two-year non-parole period.

He will be eligible for release in February 2018.