Doing a Free Giveaway - ToS?

Hey everyone,

I'm an omnicrafter and I'm organizing a giveaway/lottery on Crystal DC. I have set up a carrd.co site where people can go and sign up for the drawing. The only info collected is their character name/server/and if they want to attend the live drawing. I know there is a lot of scamming/phishing going around, but I've teamed up with a reputable name in the community to promote it, and an in-game cafe to host the event. I'm pretty well known on my server and DC, so I'm hoping people will see the good side of things instead of the negative.

Could anyone tell me where this would stand in the ToS? The drawing is entirely free, but I was concerned on SE's position of using outside services to hold the actual drawing. I'm using cognitoforms.com for the data collection and random.org for the drawing. All the rules are clearly posted and will be announced in game at the live drawing. The drawing results will be posted too.

Anyone able to give me some insight on whether or not I would catch a lashing for something like this?

Probably not, since ToS is often intentionally vague enough to be arbitrarily enforced (and that doesn't just apply here).

Good rule of thumb: If you have to ask, probably it's best if you don't do it.

Personal opinion, best case scenario, you're bound to get reported by someone just for looking like a typical phishing scam, some mod will act on the report without thorough investigation, because it looks like a typical phishing scam, and, if you're lucky, after a drawn out appeal where you have to explain every detail and also convince everyone involved that there's no significant level of data collection, you might be let off the hook.

Maybe if you could do it through a livestream service (twitch). At least then you could avoid posting what looks like a typical phishing scam directly in game. It might still look pretty sketch, but you'd be able to interact with them both in game and on stream (something the phishers can't do), making it seem a little more legit. Plus, again, mods can only take action on what happens directly in game, and I don't think there's any rule about no livestream advertisements. So, as long as you did all the lottery organizing over there, probably leaves you in the clear.

Well, it's not quite like your typical phishing lottery scam, but I was just concerned that those might make people skeptical to begin with. I won't be shouting to advertise it. It will mostly be word of mouth through my friends and FC leaders and maybe PF. The site itself is just a carrd site with a form. I made it simple as can be on purpose. Thank you for your input, I'll keep your advice in mind.

Yeah, I'd be instantly super sceptical of any alleged "lottery giveaway" that wants me to input information to a third-party site. I don't think you'd get many takers, even if you know you're being genuine and you've done your homework for implementing it safely.

Have you considered doing it through in-game methods instead? If you ran a live event, you could get everyone to "roll dice", you do that as well, and the prize goes to whoever got closest to your roll?

Could certainly make a big deal of that.

1. Announce its time for the draw

2. Get every person to roll [edit: or call a number of their choice]

3. Announce that you're rolling now... (pause for dramatic effect)

4. You roll, and identify who got closest.


All through game mechanisms, no personal data taken, transparent and verifiable results because everyone can see what everyone else rolled and has no way of altering it.

You can consider doing an advertising poster with place, date and time of the event instead of a website with card, and cooperate with some big Discord Severs who could post it. This way of organising events in the community is quite common, doesn't require any personal data at all, and you still have a chance to gather a handful amount of people depending on the size of server your poster will be posted in.

In case if it's targeted mostly at friends and FC, then maybe there's no even a need for an actual advertising? Just gather them in once place in the game at a destinated time.

As for the lottery part itself, I think that Iscah's idea with dice rolling is good.

A further thought on the dice roll: the participants could also have the option to choose their own number instead of rolling it.

As long as they all announce their selected number prior to you rolling the winning number, it would work out the same way.

Hey friend, GL with give away.

I can vouch for free hugs, she is legit and is the crafter I go to for crafted needs and I'm not even on her server, she gave me some good deals for some i480 HQ mch, pld, rdm and Astro gear.

Hey friend, GL with the give away.

I can vouch for free hugs, she is legit and is the crafter I go to for crafted needs and I'm not even on her server, she gave me some good deals for some i480 HQ mch, pld, rdm and Astro gear, I do alot of trading with and buying from her so I know first hand she's legit.

people do giveaways all the time on crystal, its not uncommon. as long as you're not collecting real life information or demanding payment before hand there is no harm in it, and i highly doubt it's against the TOS

You're too sweet Victor! I truly think just advertising word of mouth through all the connections I've made through crafting and all the groups I'm a part of would be a greater idea. I personally hate shout spamming!

Just have all entrants join one of those useless fellowships, they made them so someone should use them I guess.

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Originally Posted by FreeHugsBrynhildr

You're too sweet Victor! I truly think just advertising word of mouth through all the connections I've made through crafting and all the groups I'm a part of would be a greater idea. I personally hate shout spamming!

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GL with your contest my friend, I seen your thread and had to vouch for ya cause your one of my favorite peeps on Crystal DC.

Early congrats to whoever wins the contest as well.

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Well, it's not quite like your typical phishing lottery scam

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I got a kick out of that bit.