Sweepstakes are regulated by federal agencies and individual state laws, so the drawing process needs to be fair, random, and properly recorded.

Sweepstakes (sometimes informally called giveaways) are regulated by the Federal Trade Commission, US Post Office, the Federal Communications Commission, the Department of Justice and the IRS. Sweepstakes are also regulated by individual state law, which means you need to comply with every jurisdiction in which you run your sweepstakes.

The strictest regulations are applied by New York, Rhode Island and Florida. Their requirements may include registering the sweepstakes with the designated state agency, posting bond and sending them the winners. Many sponsors of sweepstakes exclude these states from their promotions to make the administrative process easier.

It is important that the method of selecting the winners is random. This is a key aspect of running a legal sweepstakes.

Some sponsors print out the entries and perform a manual (non-electronic) drawing. This is generally allowed if the process is fair and objective. However, in most cases, this is cumbersome and makes it difficult to keep records of the drawing (it is important that you keep a record of the drawing should you be reviewed by a relevant authority).

It is also a potential perception issue. Your entrants are likely to feel more confident about the objectivity of the drawing knowing that it was performed electronically. It is generally fine to use a random function within a spreadsheet application. However, you would be advised to take screenshots of the process showing the input, the drawing, and the output.

randomdraws.com™ meets the requirements of Federal and State laws with respect to the randomness of the drawing process. We use a random process designed to give each entry the exact same mathematical chance. And you are assured that you are keeping proper records should you need evidence of a proper drawing. You will receive a certificate of compliance with each drawing with all drawing and approval details.

Independent GLI certification assesses the security, unpredictability, and statistical behavior of our random number generator.

If you have questions about our methodology or would like to discuss any compliance issues, visit the FAQ section, or contact us on (323) 412-9123.

How can I show entrants that my drawing is legitimate?

Using our certified third party service adds credibility to your drawing. If you want entrants to be confident about the independence of the drawing, you can:

• Show them the certificate of compliance after the drawing
• Publish the winners on our hosted URL
• Hold a live drawing
• Set up a page that allows entrants to check if their entry is in the drawing
• Visit our Brand assets and usage guidelines page to download the approved logo
• Let your entrants know about the drawing lookup feature