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 €50,000–500,000. 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.