"gaining controversy" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you are talking about something that is becoming the subject of debate, criticism, or disagreement. For example: The government's new immigration policy is gaining controversy among the media and the public.
Although coconut oil has gained controversy over the years, it is actually one of the healthiest fats in the world for you.
German doctors Gunther von Hagens and his wife Angelina Whalley are the innovators behind Body Worlds which gained controversy for including the plastinated bodies of a pregnant woman, deformed fetuses, and people having sex.
"If U Seek Amy" integrates "glam-rave" elements with traditional pop styles; it gained controversy for its double entendre, where the title sounds phonetically like "F-U-C-K me".
At the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards, she performed alongside Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Missy Elliott a medley of "Like a Virgin" and "Hollywood" and engaged in open-mouth kissing with Aguilera and Spears gaining great controversy and publicity.
Third, policies that gain controversy in their engagement with obesity are helpful for making a very public (yet uncomfortably avoided) issue further visible.
During the Q Awards, Elton John accused Madonna for lip-synching in her shows which gained great controversy but was denied by Madonna's representatives.
Nor, despite the constant threats of Soviet days, had the Moscow old believer heritage been totally destroyed; the Pokrovsky cathedral at the Rogozhkoye cemetery was always a place of calm and beauty, and Alimpy made it his flock's headquarters, avoiding controversy and gaining respect in the process.
In this issue of Diabetes Care, our editorial team has decided to "push the envelope" by openly addressing a safety issue in drug development and monitoring that is gaining interest and provoking controversy.
The controversy gained momentum when Hafiz Saeed, chief of extremist group Jamaatud Dawa, advised Khan to move to Pakistan, if he feels unsafe in India.
The controversy gained worldwide attention and led several American universities to ban the sale of Coca-Cola products on their campuses.
