Tavara-arpajaiset: milloin lupaa ei tarvita EN

When do you not need a licence?

Down below is listed the forms of lotteries, when a permit is not needed. 

Small lotteries

Small lotteries are non-money lotteries where the combined sale price of the tickets does not exceed EUR 3,000 and where the tickets are sold and the prizes are given out during the same event. The prizes can be drawn either before the event or during the event, but the tickets must be sold and the prizes given out during the same event. Both conditions must be met.

The ‘same event’ means an event which has one and the same audience that remains present throughout the duration of the event. In other words, the same audience must be present both during the sale of tickets and giving out of prizes. For example, events of longer duration or events held in public squares or at supermarket entrances do not meet the condition regarding the same audience.

Non-profit organisations and foundations and clubs or groups run by the parishes of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Orthodox Church may run non-money lotteries without licence if the conditions for a small lottery are met. The proceeds from small lotteries must be used for non-profit purposes.

School classes and similar study groups can organise small lotteries as long as a person with legal capacity is in charge of running the lottery. The proceeds from these small lotteries must be used to support the group’s studies or extracurricular activities.

In a small lottery, the combined value of the prizes must amount to at least 35% of the combined sale price of the tickets. The value of the smallest prize must be at least equal to the price of a ticket.

Milloin lupaa ei tarvita -haitari-pienarpajaiset EN

Arvauskilpailuilmoitukset EN

Guessing game notice

Guessing games are a form of non-money lottery in which the chance of winning is based on a guess concerning the subject of the game. Prizes can be goods or gift cards or vouchers that can be exchanged for goods or services. The cards or vouchers must not be exchangeable for money.

The subject of a guessing game must be a phenomenon or a state of affairs that can be defined precisely and within exact limits in advance. Typical subjects include the outdoor temperature on a specific day in a specific place, the date on which a specific water body will become free of ice in the spring or the volume of a specific material in a specific container.

The subjects of a guessing game may not include the results of sports contests or other competitions or the outcome of a draw. The correct answer in a guessing game cannot be known to anyone while the tickets are sold.

You must draw up rules for guessing games, specifying how the winner or winners will be decided. The winner is usually the person who guesses correctly. The rules must specify how the winner will be determined if more than one person guesses correctly. For example, all those who have guessed correctly may be entered into a draw. The rules must also specify how the winner or winners will be decided if no one guesses correctly.

The more prizes there are, the more complicated the rules will be. The rules must always be clear enough for participants to understand how the winners are decided. You may not hold a prize draw among all guessing game participants because winning must be based on the participants’ guesses.

Guessing games can be organised by non-profit organisations and foundations and clubs or groups run by the parishes of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Orthodox Church. Businesses, parishes or individuals cannot organise guessing games. The proceeds from a guessing game must be used for non-profit activities.
 

Ohjeet arvauskilpailun järjestäjälle -haitari

Markkinointiarpajaiset

Promotional lotteries

Promotional lotteries are prize draws, contests and similar activities organised by businesses where participants can win based on chance. Companies run promotional lotteries for the purpose of promoting their sales or for other marketing purposes.

A lottery licence is not granted for running a promotional lottery, as these are not covered by the scope of the Lotteries Act. Promotional lotteries can be run on the basis that participants must buy a product or make a purchase offer to enter. 

A promotional lottery may also be completely free of charge, in which case participants do not need to buy a product or make an offer. You may not have any other kinds of charges for participation. For example, you may not add the price of the lottery ticket to the price of a product so that only those who pay the additional charge are entered into the draw.

Provisions on promotional lotteries are given in consumer protection regulations. More information on promotional lotteries is available from the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority.

Miniatyyriarpajaiset EN

Mini-lotteries

Mini-lotteries are non-money lotteries where the combined value of the tickets does not exceed EUR 500 and where the tickets are sold and the prizes are given out during the same event. Both conditions must be met.

Workplace communities and established leisure activity groups can run non-money lotteries without a licence as long as these fall into the category of mini-lotteries. All proceeds from mini-lotteries must be used for the recreational activities of the workplace community or leisure activity group or to promote a non-profit cause.

You may only sell mini-lottery tickets to the members of your workplace community or the leisure activity group that is running the lottery.

In a mini-lottery, the combined value of the prizes must amount to at least 35% of the combined sale price of the tickets. The value of the smallest prize must be at least equal to the price of a ticket.

When organising a mini-lottery, make sure that the draw is carried out in a reliable manner. You don’t need to produce accounts for a mini-lottery.