By Scott W. Pink and Carissa L. Bouwer
DLA Piper’s International Advertising Group has published the Prize Promotions Across the World Handbook which provides an overview of prize promotion laws and regulations across 20 countries.
Prize promotions are an effective and increasingly popular marketing tool used globally for attracting customers. The internet and various social media platforms make this an attractive, cost efficient means of reaching a large, multi-jurisdictional customer base, but it is not without its legal challenges. This Handbook will help companies planning an international contest or sweepstakes to understand the challenges and restrictions the promotion will face in different jurisdictions.
The Handbook covers answers to the following questions:
1. What is the applicable Governing law or code?
2. “Skills competitions” – can a promotion be run that is based on skill and where a prize is awarded?
3. “Prize draws” – can a promotion be run where there is an element of chance in the selection of the winner and where a prize is awarded?
4. Are there any requirements for the selection of winners and the award of prizes?
5. Are there any restrictions on the prizes awarded?
6. Are there any registration requirements and/or fees or taxes that are payable?
7. Are there any other key local requirements?
8. What are the penalties for non-compliance?
Access to a PDF version of the Prize Promotion Handbook can be found here.
If you have questions about prize promotions or would like legal assistance in conducting your next prize promotion, please contact Scott W. Pink at scott.pink@dlapiper.com or Heather Dunn at heather.dunn@dlapiper.com.