Are you unsure whether your sweepstakes needs to be registered and bonded? Sweepstakes laws vary by state and even locally, making it complicated for brands to sort out which rules apply to their sweepstakes.

Is registration required for every sweepstakes? The short answer is no. However, there are some instances in which sweepstakes registration and bonding is required.

Here is how to determine if your sweepstakes needs to be registered:

1. Running a Sweepstakes in New York, Florida or Rhode Island?

If residents of any of these states are permitted to enter your sweepstakes, then registration is required. Each state, New York, Rhode Island, and Florida has its own rules and deadlines for sweepstakes registration and bonding.

If your sweepstakes is valid in more than one of these states, you will have to register and bond your sweepstakes in each of those states separately.

2. Giving Away Expensive Prizes?

Not all sweepstakes are automatically required to be registered and bonded, even in the states that require in. In fact, sweepstakes registration is only required if you plan to give away high-value prizes (worth $5,000 or more).

3. Alcoholic Beverage Company Sweepstakes?

Some states also have additional sweepstakes registration requirements for companies in the alcoholic beverage industry. These states require that you register your sweepstakes with the state alcohol board prior to the launch of the sweepstakes.

4. Exclude Residents of Sweepstakes Registration States?

If New York, Florida, and Rhode Island residents will be excluded from participating in your sweepstakes, then registration and bonding will not be required. However, by doing so you could significantly limit the number of entrants for your sweepstakes and your ROI from your campaign.

If your goal is to build a huge customer list, don’t let concerns about registration hold you back. Sweeppea can help you with meeting the filing and deadline requirements to make sure your sweepstakes is registered.

Keep in mind that if registration is required, states have advanced deadlines for registration and bonding, which is typically well in advance of the launch date of your sweepstakes. Make sure that you don’t leave these tasks until the last minute or it could derail your campaign.

Need help with sweepstakes or contest management? Call 305-505-5393 or email us with your questions.

The post Does Every Sweepstakes Need to Be Registered? appeared first on Sweeppea Blog.

Three states require sweepstakes registration and bonding in order to run a promotion in those states. If your sweepstakes meets certain criteria, you must register and bond to make your sweepstakes legal in New York, Florida, and Rhode Island.

As a Sweepstakes Company, here is a breakdown of the sweepstakes registration and bonding requirements for each of these states.

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New York

New York State requires companies to register a sweepstakes if the prize being given or the pool of all prizes combined away is worth more than $5,000 retail value. A surety bond must also be obtained for the amount of the prize value.

Make sure to register your sweepstakes at least 7 days prior to the sweepstakes start date. You must also submit a winners list to the State of New York within 90 days after your sweepstakes end date.

As Sweepstakes Administrators we can help provide the services needed to bond and register your sweepstakes in New York.

Florida

If your sweepstakes prize or all prizes combined has a total prize with an Approximate Retail Value (ARV) of $5,000 or more and the sweepstakes is open to residents of Florida, you must register your sweepstakes with the state.

You will be required to submit a copy of the Official Rules, obtain a surety bond, and open a trust account with the state to ensure that the prize money is available to the prize winner.

The state of Florida requires that you register and bond your sweepstakes at least 7 days prior to the start date of your promotion. After your sweepstakes ends, you must also submit an official winners list to the state within 60 days.

We know Sweepstakes Laws and can help provide the services needed to bond and register your sweepstakes in Florida.

Rhode Island

Rhode Island’s threshold for sweepstakes registration and bonding is lower than other states, namely for sweepstakes offered at retail establishments. If you plan to run an in-store sweepstakes promotion in Rhode Island, with prizes that are valued at $500 or more, you must register your sweepstakes with the state. This requirement only applies if the entrant must go to your brick and mortar location in order to enter the sweepstakes. In other words, the Sponsor must have a retail location in the state of RI for this requirement to apply.

Rhode Island does not require you to obtain a surety bond or file a winners list with the state. However, you must keep information identifying the winners of your contest for up to 6 months after the promotion’s end date.

Do Skills-based Contests Need Sweepstakes Registration and Bonding?

Contests in which the quality of the entries will be evaluated in order for a winner to be selected (e.g. photo contest or writing contest, games not based on chance) do not require bonding and registration in New York, Florida or Rhode Island.

However, if residents of the state of Arizona are allowed to participate, and a purchase is involved, registration and bonding is required for the state of Arizona.

Need help with sweepstakes or contest management? Call 305-505-5393 or email us with your questions.

The post Which States Require Sweepstakes Registration and Bonding? appeared first on Sweeppea Blog.