Missouri sweepstakes: purchases must not improve chances, and the rules should explain free entry, eligibility and meaningful prize restrictions.
Planning a free giveaway or photo/video competition open to Missouri residents? This guide focuses on ordinary commercial promotions with free entry, including random drawings and submission contests using judges or public voting. Paid entries or votes, purchase-linked promotions, charitable raffles and regulated prizes need separate analysis.
Editorial review: . Sources are linked beside the guidance they support. This is an informational overview, not legal advice for a particular campaign.
No purchase advantage
Missouri’s Attorney General says merchants may not offer a better chance of winning to purchasers or suggest that a purchase improves the odds. The guidance encourages entrants to check the rules for the free-entry method, prize information and odds.
Keep the online entry path consistent with that message. A shopping prompt should not imply that an entry is incomplete without an order or that customers receive an undisclosed advantage.
Sources: Missouri AG sweepstakes guidance.
Eligibility and redemption conditions
The AG guidance highlights hidden eligibility criteria, sales-contact conditions and prize-use fees as matters consumers should inspect. A sponsor should explain material conditions before entry and accurately distinguish the prize’s face value from any required spending to use it.
For a free photo/video competition, publish how judging or votes determine the result and how ties work. These are practical drafting steps; do not promise that every public-vote format has the same legal classification as a purely judged contest.
Sources: Missouri guidance on rules and prize restrictions.
Registration and campaigns open to other states
For ordinary free commercial sweepstakes, the familiar prize-value filing regimes are in New York, Florida and Rhode Island. That does not remove Missouri's disclosure and conduct rules described above, or special rules for a different industry or format. See the registration guide and its sources for that distinction.
The state-law directory links to all 50 states and DC. A “void where prohibited” line does not itself define your eligible audience or complete a required filing.
Before opening entries
Use these practical drafting and administration steps alongside the applicable state rules:
- Identify the sponsor, eligible entrants, entry period and advertised prize.
- Explain the free entry method and how winners are selected. For submissions, describe judging criteria or voting stages and tie handling.
- Make advertisements, the form and full rules agree; do not imply an entrant has already won.
- Plan verification, notification and fulfillment, and retain the rules and selection records.
Federal advertising standards also apply. The FTC warns against misleading purchase prompts and prize claims; see its advertising guidance. Tax reporting and channel-specific rules are covered in the national sweepstakes guide.
Nearby sweepstakes law guides
Planning a promotion across state lines? Review the guides for nearby jurisdictions.
Revup
Revup helps you collect entries and manage promotion workflows. Match your campaign settings and official rules to the requirements of your actual promotion.
