Eligibility
Clear age, residency, and employee/vendor exclusions explaining who may and may not enter, including any residency-based restrictions.
A written contest document reduces legal risk, clarifies expectations for entrants, supports regulatory compliance (including sweepstakes and lottery distinctions), and documents consent for data use and prize fulfillment under federal and state rules.
The template is used by marketing, promotions, legal, and operations teams to standardize contest launches and protect sponsors.
Proper use reduces disputes, speeds approvals, and creates a single source of truth for entrant obligations and sponsor responsibilities.
Clear age, residency, and employee/vendor exclusions explaining who may and may not enter, including any residency-based restrictions.
Precise steps for entry — e.g., app interaction, point milestones, hashtag use — with limits on entries per person and acceptable platforms.
Detailed prize descriptions, approximate retail value (ARV), quantity, delivery method, and any tax reporting requirements for winners.
Criteria and scoring method, judge qualifications or randomness process, tie-break rules, and planned notification procedures.
Data collection purposes, retention period, third-party processors, and notices required for consumer-facing contests under federal or state law.
Governing law, liability limitations, intellectual property assignment for submissions, and signature lines for entrant acceptance.
| Field | Configuration |
|---|---|
| Entrant Identity | Email + name required; optional phone for SMS verification |
| Authentication | Email link or SMS code; use stronger KBA where required |
| Signature Fields | Add signature, initials, and date fields; require completion |
| Routing | Auto-send signed copy to sponsor, legal, and finance |
Choose a platform that supports the file formats and authentication levels your contest requires.
Ensure the platform offers an auditable trail, configurable fields, and secure storage to meet legal and operational needs.
Final date/time entries accepted; use a single time zone.
Window for evaluation and tie-break resolution.
Timeframe to notify winners after judging concludes.
Expected delivery timeframe and vendor obligations.
Maintain contest records per retention policy.
Define objectives, budget, and compliance checkpoints.
Draft rules, creative assets, and entry mechanics.
Open entries and monitor submissions and platform health.
Notify winners, fulfill prizes, and archive documentation.
| Type | Marketing Gamification Contest | Sweepstakes | Lottery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consideration required | |||
| Skill component | often present | not required | not allowed |
| State registration | usually no | sometimes yes | yes often |
| Typical legal risk | moderate | low to moderate | high |
| signNow | DocuSign | Adobe Sign | PandaDoc | HelloSign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $8/user/mo | $15/user/mo | $14/user/mo | $19/user/mo | $15/user/mo |
| Free Trial | 7-day free trial | Varies | Varies | Yes, limited | Yes, limited |
| Bulk Send | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Audit Trail | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Envelope Cap | No cap | 100 envelopes/user/yr | Varies | Varies | Varies |
A regional retailer ran a points-based game to collect opt-in emails and store visits
A software vendor used achievement badges to encourage feature exploration