The country-by-country answer, from a team that designs and legally structures these campaigns for brands. Updated July 2026.
European promotional law differs country to country, but the core test is the same everywhere: prize (something of value is awarded), chance (winners are selected randomly), and payment (entrants stake something to participate). All three together = a lottery, which requires a gambling license you don't have. A compliant sweepstakes removes the payment element:
Purchase-linked entries are accepted with a disclosed free route. The strictest consent rules in Europe apply to your entry form: marketing opt-in must be a separate, unticked checkbox and requires double opt-in before you may email entrants. T&Cs should be in German for German consumers.
The "jeu-concours" tradition is well established, but charging for the chance itself is a criminal offence carrying fines up to €300,000 and potential prison. The free entry route is what keeps a purchase-linked campaign on the right side of that line, and it must be referenced wherever conditions of participation appear.
A "concorso a premio" requires a filing with the MIMIT ministry 15 days before launch, an insurance bond covering the full prize value, a notary or chamber-of-commerce official at the draw, and rules in Italian. Fines run €50,000 to €500,000. Brands without an Italian entity typically exclude Italy or engage a local promotions agency.
Standard EU rules apply, plus a tax point brands miss: prizes worth more than €300 trigger promoter withholding obligations. Budget the tax into the prize architecture before you announce it.
Promotional games of chance run under a voluntary Code of Conduct: prize value is capped at €100,000 per year without a permit, with notification duties under the code.
Sweden treats chance-based promos tied to purchase more strictly than most of the EU. Many brands run skill elements or exclude it. Poland requires permits for some draw types. Both warrant a local-counsel check before inclusion.
The EU Unfair Commercial Practices Directive blacklists specific tactics regardless of market. Violations are enforceable even if your draw mechanics are clean:
The combination of prize + chance + payment. Promotional sweepstakes stay legal by removing payment: entries come free with a normally-priced product, and a genuinely free entry route exists.
Yes, per entry. Capping free entries per person is generally defensible if disclosed; giving free entries worse odds per entry is not.
No. The surcharge becomes payment for the chance and reclassifies the promotion as gambling. Keep evidence of pre-promo pricing.
Only with a real free entry route. Charging for the chance itself risks fines up to €300,000 and prison. France enforces this line hard.
Italy: ministry filing 15 days pre-launch, an insurance bond on the prize value, a notarized draw, and Italian-language rules. Most brands without an Italian entity exclude it or hire a local agency.
Yes, separate and unticked, never a condition of entry. Germany and Austria also require double opt-in before you may email.
This guide describes the general legal framework for promotional sweepstakes in European markets (the prize/chance/payment test, the free-entry-route requirement, UCPD marketing rules, and GDPR entry-form requirements). It is provided for informational purposes and is not legal advice. Every campaign we run is reviewed by qualified local counsel before launch; specifics vary by country, prize value, and mechanic.
We design the prize, write the rules, build the funnel, and run the campaign, legally structured for every market you sell in. See how we've run it for other brands.