The Merchant Law group, based in Saskatchewan, has launched a class action lawsuit against the Western Canada Lottery Corporation over a number of its scratch and win tickets.
Tony Merchant of the Merchant Law Group filed a statement of claim against the corporation on Tuesday following a Canadian Broadcasting Company report in Winnipeg revealed that retailers were selling tickets to games, including Texas Hold 'em Poker, Lucky 7s and Set for Life, after the top prizes had already been claimed.
The firm says it was filed on behalf of everybody who bought scratch and win tickets since Nov. 1, 2001.
The Western Canadian Lottery Corporation, or WCLC, has since made changes so that the list of prizes already won is featured more prominently on its Web site. But Mr. Merchant said simply selling the tickets after the top prize has been won is fraud.
"They think they can win a million dollars, but they can't, and the lottery corporation continues to advertise that they can win, but they can't win," Mr. Merchant said. "So it's a systemic fraud on the buyers of these tickets."
Mr. Merchant said he will be looking for "not less than" $100 million in damages.