EDMONTON, AB – Recent reporting by the Investigative Journalism Foundation fundamentally misleads readers in its representation of the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation's 50/50 program by focusing on percentages rather than the unprecedented charitable impact being delivered to Alberta communities.
The facts that matter:
- 2017-2020: $9.9 million to charitable causes
- 2021-2024: $66.9 million to charitable causes – 576% increase
- 2024 alone: $20 million available for charity – double the entire four-year total from 2017-2020
The IJF's reporting deliberately and irresponsibly obscures this remarkable success story by citing gross revenue figures without acknowledging the significant operational investments required to transform a small in-arena raffle into the largest charitable raffle in professional sports.
"Percentages don't help kids and families in need – dollars do," said EOCF Executive Director Myrna Khan. "By focusing on expense ratios and purposely ignoring the millions of dollars in legitimate operational costs covered by WIN50, the IJF misleads readers about our how our 50/50 operates and our overall charitable impact – risking harm to the very causes we serve. Our financial statements are not hidden or secret — they are filed publicly every year, as required by law. To suggest otherwise is misleading and sensationalizes the obvious, doing nothing to advance transparency or strengthen Canadian democracy as the IJF claims as its mission."
Key corrections to IJF reporting:
- Fees: The $81 million "received" by Win50 represents total revenue over four years – averaging approximately $20 million per year. This figure is misleading because it does not account for the substantial marketing, operating, and capital expenses required to build and operate the EOCF 50/50. The IJF blurs this distinction and ignores the fact that expenses drastically reduce the amount that actually remains with Win50.
- Win50's role: The company manages all operational costs – technology, marketing, advertising, prizes, compliance – that transformed ticket sales from $25 million (2017-2020) to $318.7 million (2021-2024)
- Regulatory oversight: Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) provides comprehensive oversight of EOCF and the 50/50, including annual reviews and approvals of all expenses
- Comparative analysis: The IJF's comparison to smaller raffles ignores the massive scale and complexity of operating across all of Alberta versus limited local operations
The EOCF operates under strict regulatory oversight with an independent Board of Directors (9 of 12 members independent of OEG) and annual independent audits. We remain fully committed to transparency and maximizing charitable impact.
Bottom line: More money is going to Alberta charities than ever before because of strategic investments in operational excellence, not despite them.
