Blog Posts

        Category: Sweepstakes
        by Robert Laplaca on April 1, 2022

        In an astonishing reversal (of fortune), the FTC today (April 1) announced that “No Purchase Necessary” is no longer necessary for games of...

        by Robert Laplaca on February 22, 2022

        Last month, a class action lawsuit was dismissed, in part, against plaintiffs who opted into Coinbase Global’s $1.2 Dogecoin sweepstakes. Dogecoin...

        by Robert Laplaca on October 1, 2021

        With the current debt crisis looming and people tightening their belts, perhaps we’ll see more brands doubling down on sweepstakes promotions to...

        by Robert Laplaca on August 2, 2021

        Oh, Canada, you give us ice hockey, maple syrup, Tom Hortons, and one stubborn province that had a noted aversion to “publicity contests.” But no...

        by Robert Laplaca on June 22, 2021

        Every six-year-old boy, at some time in his short life, comes up with the idea of running a raffle as an ingenious way of earning some easy money. It...

        by Robert Laplaca on May 24, 2021

        I love it when there are new and innovative approaches to sweepstakes. That’s been the genesis and driving force behind sweepstakes promotions...

        by Robert Laplaca on May 20, 2021

        Sometimes doing good isn’t easy. Say you’re a company that wants to run a sweepstakes by asking entrants for donations to charity. Sounds simple....

        by Robert Laplaca on April 14, 2020

        “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.” Muhammad Ali We are seeing a nation pitching in to flatten the curve and...

        by Robert Laplaca on April 6, 2020

        Forfeit prizes, cancellation, deadlines, termination, Stores closed, goods sold, how do we get through? Test kits, verification, new prizes,...

        by Robert Laplaca on December 13, 2018

        2018 brought us the type of lawsuits you would expect in the world of sweepstakes, contests and giveaways. From "The Annoyance Lawyer" to Bobbleheads...

        by Robert Laplaca on November 5, 2018

        Prop 215 was enacted in California twenty-two years today on November 5, 1996. This law was the first of its kind in the U.S. to legalize medical...

        by Robert Laplaca on August 1, 2018

        You're offered a $1 million game piece for $40,000 dollars. What do you do? As you might expect, this may be an offer you can't refuse. A recent...

        by Robert Laplaca on June 12, 2018

        Commercial Co-Ventures and Sweepstakes Promotions Remember that song in the '90s from the C+C Music Factory called "Things That Make You Go...

        by Robert Laplaca on May 8, 2018

        On April 23, 2018, 13 disgruntled senior citizens, led by a retired and disabled veteran who for seven years purchased hundreds of items from...

        by Robert Laplaca on April 16, 2018

        As was made pretty clear last week from the 1,400 hours of Congressional testimony by Mark Zuckerberg, the USA may want to follow the lead of the EU...

        by Robert Laplaca on March 29, 2018

        Today (March 29th) is baseball's opening day – the earliest opening day in history. If you're going to the Yankees' opener in Toronto, wear your...

        by Robert Laplaca on December 28, 2017

        "It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition,...

        by Robert Laplaca on October 23, 2017

        Client: Do we need Official Rules for our sweepstakes? Attorney: Yes. Client: But we're only running a one-day sweepstakes giving away a...

        by Robert Laplaca on October 6, 2017

        Some things you may not be able to give as prizes: - Smokes (MA, MI, VA) - Gas (NJ, VA) - Beer (many states) - Milk (restricted in a number of...

        by Robert Laplaca on September 5, 2017

        Marx once remarked, "Age is not a particularly interesting subject. Anyone can get old. All you have to do is live long enough." Well, thanks...

        by Robert Laplaca on August 24, 2017

        William J. Shakespeare recognized over more than 400 years ago in As You Like It that, "Excess may do you harm." This may still hold true today for...

        by Robert Laplaca on July 31, 2017

        It's summer vacation time and what better way to spend it then basking in the sun after winning that all-expense-paid prize trip. Or is...

        by Robert Laplaca on July 21, 2017

        In 1984, Clara Peller, when opening a bun and finding only a tiny burger, first asked the famous line, "Where's the beef?" This question is still...

        by Robert Laplaca on June 7, 2017

        Our teachers have told us that there's no such thing as a bad question. In that light, I've come up with 11 common (simple) questions about...

        by Robert Laplaca on February 24, 2017

        On February 9, 2017, a consent order was entered in favor of the FTC against the general manager of a company engaged to procure printing and mailing...

        by Robert Laplaca on January 9, 2017

        On December 14, 2016, the Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016 was passed to try to put an end to companies taking down nasty reviews about their...

        by Robert Laplaca on December 29, 2016

        In case you missed it, here are some notable items from 2016 concerning sweepstakes, contests, and related promotional matters: Influencers,...

        by Robert Laplaca on December 15, 2016

        First, a short history lesson. The term "sweepstakes" dates back to the 15th century in reference to a common game where everyone placed a "stake"...

        by Robert Laplaca on September 23, 2016

        Olympic prize awards are generally taxed like other prizes. Some lawmakers have seen this practice of taxing our Olympians as a "victory tax." On...

        by Robert Laplaca on August 19, 2016

        Recently and without fanfare, Pinterest revised its Promotion Guidelines in a few significant ways. The old Guidelines said you cannot "run a...

        Firm Highlights

        Blog

        Hurry Up and Wait

        This is the third in a series of Verrill blog posts on Maine’s packaging extended producer responsibility (“EPR”) law[1]. In July we reported...
        Media Mentions

        Cybersecurity and AI Governance: Scott Anderson Featured in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly

        Verrill Managing Partner Scott Anderson was recently featured in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly discussing how law firms can build attorney buy-in for...
        Blog

        Section 530A Account Update: ERISA Status of Trump Accounts

        The Department of Labor has issued important guidance addressing whether employer programs that permit contributions to Section 530A accounts (and...
        Press Releases

        97 Verrill Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers® 2027, Including Four Named Lawyers of the Year

        AUGUSTA, Maine, BANGOR, Maine, BOSTON, Mass., PORTLAND, Maine, and WESTPORT, Conn., (August 20, 2026) – Verrill is proud to announce that 97...
        Alerts and Newsletters

        SEC’s Proposed “Reg Crypto”: What Founders Need to Know

        Startup founders and emerging-growth companies have a number of options for raising capital under the federal securities laws, including Regulation D...
        Blog

        After 45 Years, the IRS Speaks on DCAP Nondiscrimination Testing – And It’s Good News

        Employers that provide a Dependent Care Assistance Program will be pleased to learn that for the first time in 45 years, the IRS has issued guidance...
        Media Mentions

        U.S. Courts Highlights Annabel Rodriguez’s Journey from Fellow to Mentor

        Verrill attorney Annabel Rodriguez was featured in a recent U.S. Courts article titled “From Fellows to Mentors: Alumni Share Lasting Lessons from...
        Media Mentions

        Robert Keach Discusses Bankruptcy Auction Strategy in Law360

        Verrill attorney Robert Keach spoke with Law360 article examining the complex bankruptcy auction process that resulted in the sale of 23 summer...
        Media Mentions

        Martha Gaythwaite Featured in Portland Press Herald Coverage of Sig Sauer Trial Victory

        Verrill attorney Martha Gaythwaite was highlighted in media coverage of a federal trial in Bangor involving firearm manufacturer Sig Sauer. As...
        Media Mentions

        Law360 Quotes Robert Keach on Senate Bill Affecting Small Business Restructurings

        Verrill attorney Robert Keach was recently quoted in a Law360 article discussing federal legislation that would permanently restore the $7.5 million...
        Alerts and Newsletters

        SAFEs and Preferred Stock – Key Deal Terms Every Founder Should Know

        SAFEs Before negotiating a term sheet for preferred stock, many early-stage companies, particularly at the seed stage, first raise capital through...
        Press Releases

        Verrill Welcomes Business Restructuring and Insolvency Attorney Nimra Tariq

        BOSTON, Massachusetts – Verrill is pleased to announce that Nimra Tariq has joined the firm’s Business Restructuring and Insolvency Group as an...