Why is Canada left out of every god damn promo?

[Toutatis]

it's Canadian laws, all giveaways, regardless of gambling actually being a part of it, are under the Anti-Gambling laws (they need to change the name, because 90% of them have nothing to do with gambling). If they were to hold it here, every time you enter a code, you'd have to take a skill testing question (though usually they are simple like 5+5-2) and Quebec would still be left out because they don't allow ANYTHING there.

In this case it would be the Competition Act and anti spam laws as well as other laws regarding marketing. There are mandatory disclosures for promotional content. The rules would also have to tell how many codes there are vs stipulating that it is to the discretion of the sponsor. The skill test applies to chance games only because of a prohibition of pure chance contests in the criminal code.

As for Québec, it is totally untrue. There were some disclosure requirements and the posting of a small security for prizes over $100. Done it multiple times for our group of companies and it was very easy to deal with. It’s just that companies didn’t want to bother with it. Those requirements have now been removed.

[Jojoya]

As for Québec, it is totally untrue. There were some disclosure requirements and the posting of a small security for prizes over $100. Done it multiple times for our group of companies and it was very easy to deal with. It’s just that companies didn’t want to bother with it. Those requirements have now been removed.

Good to hear that Quebec is lightening up on things.

But in general this is a point that people need to understand. The laws and regulations where you live impact your ability to participate in promotions because the companies sponsoring the promotions usually don't want the extra expense and hassle those laws and regulations create.

It's especially true in the case of companies that aren't based in your local country. There are usually additional regulatory hurdles for them, many times intended to protect local business but having a wider impact. It's why you're more likely to see promotions by local companies and not international ones.

With respect to Canada and the current Mountain Dew promotion, it sounds like SE's NA promotions team needs to reach out to that Canadian division of PepsiCo to see about getting the promotion going there.

[Fyrebrand]

it's Canadian laws, all giveaways, regardless of gambling actually being a part of it, are under the Anti-Gambling laws (they need to change the name, because 90% of them have nothing to do with gambling). If they were to hold it here, every time you enter a code, you'd have to take a skill testing question (though usually they are simple like 5+5-2) and Quebec would still be left out because they don't allow ANYTHING there.

Guild Wars 2 had a promo a few years back, I forget if it was with Subway or Quiznos. I walked in, got a sandwich, got a code for some in-game items. Simple as. There was no "skill testing question" or anything.

[Toutatis]

.
With respect to Canada and the current Mountain Dew promotion, it sounds like SE's NA promotions team needs to reach out to that Canadian division of PepsiCo to see about getting the promotion going there.

They don’t want to put any effort though in the present case it’s a bit more than that as the codes are used for a reward system that has more than the mount and the food item and bottles are labeled for that broader reward system which does not exist in Canada and which offers other third party items. To include Canada would have implied changing the labelling of Canadian bottles and the inscriptions in the caps which come at a cost.

Guild Wars 2 had a promo a few years back, I forget if it was with Subway or Quiznos. I walked in, got a sandwich, got a code for some in-game items. Simple as. There was no "skill testing question" or anything.

Skill testing is only when chance is involved as promotional contests based purely on chance are illegal so they add a skill rest in the mix. If the promotion is get a sandwich and you get an item, it is not needed.

As for the GW2 event, that’s how they can do it at a low cost without having to relabel bottles or other items.

[CaptainLagbeard]

As a person from northern europe, all I can say is "Wait, you guys get promos?"

[Tint]

Would be more funny if it wasn't true...

(cries in Europe q.q )

[FiletMignon]

SPONSOR: Pepsi Promotions, Inc., 700 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase, NY 10577

As sponsor, they're the ones that decide who can participate. Ask them.

With respect to Square Enix, ask them to stop working with sponsors that are excluding all NA residents except US residents when what they wanted was a NA promotion.


https://www.mtndewgaming.com/terms-and-conditions

It's not even all US residents. Somehow Puerto Rico is not even included in the promo but Guam is. Both Puerto Rico and Guam residents are US citizens. Puerto Rico can't even open the mountain dew gaming website because it's blocked.

[TheMightyMollusk]

Guild Wars 2 had a promo a few years back, I forget if it was with Subway or Quiznos. I walked in, got a sandwich, got a code for some in-game items. Simple as. There was no "skill testing question" or anything.

Eating at Quiznos or Subway is a skill check in itself.

[Cerbolt]

Everyone gets shafted but the USA and Japan usually.

[Kuroka]

this but Australia

This but Austria