Competition and Prize Draw Terms and Conditions Solicitors

Adlex Solicitors advise businesses on the drafting, review and enforcement of competition and prize draw terms and conditions.

Properly drafted terms are essential for complying with UK consumer law, advertising and gambling rules and platform requirements, and for reducing the risk of complaints, regulatory action and disputes.

We regularly advise on promotions run via websites, mobile apps and social media platforms. In particular, we help businesses ensure that their competition terms accurately reflect how the promotion operates in practice.

Why Competition Terms and Conditions Matter

Competitions and prize draws are tightly regulated in the UK. If terms are unclear, misleading or incomplete, businesses may face complaints to regulators, platforms or trading standards, or challenges from participants. For example:

• complaints to the ASA or other regulators
• allegations of misleading promotions
• disputes over eligibility, prizes or winner selection
• platform enforcement action or takedowns

As a result, competition terms should always be carefully drafted and reviewed.

How We Help With Competition and Prize Draw Terms

Drafting bespoke competition terms

We draft tailored competition and prize draw terms and conditions that reflect your promotion mechanics, eligibility criteria, prize structure and marketing channels.

Reviewing existing terms

We review existing competition terms to identify compliance gaps, unclear wording and practical risks, and advise on necessary changes.

Social media and platform promotions

We advise on competitions run via platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and X, including compliance with both legal requirements and platform rules.

Dispute prevention and complaints

We advise on handling participant complaints and disputes arising from competitions, including eligibility challenges and prize disputes.

Who We Work With

We advise a wide range of organisations, including:

• online retailers and e-commerce brands
• marketing agencies and promoters
• content creators and media businesses
• app developers and platform operators
• start-ups and established companies

Common Questions About Competition Terms and Conditions

Do I need terms and conditions for a competition?

Yes. Clear terms and conditions are essential to set out key requirements, such as eligibility, entry requirements, prize details and how winners are selected.

Are prize draws and competitions regulated differently?

Yes. The legal treatment of competitions, prize draws and lotteries differs, and the distinction is important for compliance.

Can I copy competition terms from another website?

Copying terms is risky and often inappropriate. Terms should reflect how your promotion actually operates and comply with current legal and regulatory requirements.

Do competition terms need to comply with consumer law?

Yes. Competition terms must be fair, transparent and not misleading under UK consumer protection law and advertising and gambling rules.

This page forms part of our wider advice on website and app terms and conditions.

Need Advice on Competition or Prize Draw Terms?

If you are planning a competition or prize draw and need legal advice on the terms, we can help.