Maryland Contest and Sweepstakes Laws
Maryland's main prohibition is Criminal Law section 12-102, which bars making or selling a book or pool on a race, contest or contingency, running a place for betting, and receiving money to be bet on a result. A violation is a misdemeanour with up to 6 months in prison, a fine of up to $5,000, or both. Lotteries are covered separately in Title 12, Subtitle 2.
Section 12-102 doesn't mention promotions or free entry, so a prudent giveaway avoids payment altogether:
- Make entry free, and offer a free alternative for any paid Action.
- Don't sell extra chances.
- For a skill contest, judge against published criteria and pick winners manually.
Gleam's Terms & Conditions take a Governing Law Country rather than a state, so add Maryland-specific wording through custom terms on the Hobby Plan and above. See what an AMOE is.
This isn't legal advice, so check with a Maryland lawyer before you launch. Sources:
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Are Giveaways Real?
Many are real, but scams exist, especially on social media. Check who's hosting, whether official rules are published and whether the winner is announced.