Alberta's lottery regulator investigating contest to give away $1.7M home

Alberta's lottery regulator is investigating the legality of a contest run by a woman trying to give awayher $1.7-million home in Millarville.

But the homeowner, Alla Wagner, says she did nothing wrong.

"That's a lie. That's a lie," she said Friday.

Wagner says she worked with an agentat the gambling department ofAlberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis to ensure she followed the rules.

Wagner launched an online contest last month on social media called Write a LetterWin a House, asking applicants to explain how home-ownership could change their life.

Wagner, who has limited mobility, hasstruggled to sell her 5,000-square-foot home.

The matter has been referred to theAGLCintegrated investigation team, whichconsists of police officers, commission spokesperson HeatherHolmensaid in anemailFriday.

The team will conduct"a full review into the legality of the contest," she said

"AGLCcan confirm no raffle licence has been issued with respect to this contest."

Holmendeclined to comment further as the matter is under investigation, which she said was launched days after CBC News did a story on the letter-writing contest. The commission received "a lot of inquiries" about it from the public.

Not a lottery, homeowner says

For the contest, Wagner set an entry fee at $25, which she told CBC News she had to do in order tocomply with the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act.

She understood her contest didn't qualify as a lotterybecause she would choose the winner based on the best written argument, judged by an independent panel of judges.

"They told me I did not need a licence because this is not random. Second of all, they told me this is not in their jurisdiction," Wagner said. "They do not regulate this. This has nothing to do with them."

A target of trolls

Alberta RCMP say they are not investigating the contest, nor Wagner.

Instead, an RCMPspokespersonsaid the force is investigatinga complaint filed by the homeowner, who says someone is impersonating her onlinein an effort to syphon money away from her contest.

Wagner said people who oppose her contest have "bombarded" AGLC with calls and complaints and made her a target of online trolls.

"In a very big way, in a huge way. I've had three cancellations of three letters and payments," she said.

Holmen said AGLCcan't comment on this second complaint.

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