Are sweepstakes illegal? Here’s the breakdown… 14 December 2020 Get ready to host your own successful sweepstakes! So….you’re looking to host sweepstakes? Do you have all of the rules and guidelines to ensure your sweepstakes success? Do you even know if ‘sweepstakes are illegal?’ We’ll break down these questions and more below. Get ready to host your own successful sweepstakes! The first thing to consider: how legal is a sweepstake? If you follow certain rules and regulations put in place by government organizations, sweepstakes are perfectly legal. Because sweepstakes and lotteries are so similar and lotteries are so strictly regulated, it is important to define the difference in your own sweepstakes. Sweepstakes should never require money to enter. State “no purchase necessary” or “free entry” somewhere in your sweepstakes description to ensure legality. Sponsors or partners must be clearly identified. Sweepstakes tickets – if required – must be non-transferable. Rules & regulations must be clearly displayed and CANNOT change once the sweepstakes begin. There can be no extensions to applications for entry into the sweepstakes. Sweepstakes winners can never be chosen, or not chosen, based on factors of discrimination including (but not limited to) race, gender, sexual orientation, religious or cultural beliefs or age. Winners must be announced in compliance with privacy laws and rules for failure to accept the prize must be explained prior to pulling a winner Finally, sweepstakes winners must always be chosen at random. If the winner is personally chosen, the sweepstakes become a contest or game, based on skill or other factors. As long as you stick to the above rules, your online sweepstakes will remain perfectly legal, in any country! Remember to choose randomly, be clear about the rules and never discriminate or make a profit! It’s truly that easy and one of the fastest and most successful ways to increase exposure for your brand! Never again ask “are sweepstakes legal?”. Get out there and start your sweepstakes!
