PSA: NY, FL, RI excluded from #10MillionStories sweepstakes

HeroOfNone · November 2017

Before you enter the enter the sweepstakes read the rules carefully

excluding residents of Florida, New York, Rhode Island, the territories and military installations

The issue is bonding, since the sweepstakes exceeding 5k need to be registered in those states. It's a little upsetting we're dealing with this AGAIN after the last sweepstakes fiasco. I really hope we can see smaller sweepstakes or some of these contests get bonded so more of us can participate.

RABIDxWOLVERINE · November 2017

Its not ZOS or ESO's fault, its your state governments whom have set the rules the way they are to where you cant enter most sweepstakes not just for this game.

HeroOfNone · November 2017

RABIDxWOLVERINE wrote: »

Its not ZOS or ESO's fault, its your state governments whom have set the rules the way they are to where you cant enter most sweepstakes not just for this game.

Yes and no.

Back when they did the 1 million dollar give away it was clear a lot wanted to participate but we're denied due to bonding. Similar issues with oit of country giveaways had a cap as well.

From that though, multiple suggestions for giving smaller sweepstakes, making alternative sweepstakes along side the big sweepstakes, or simply being proactive and bonding in those other states were given. I thought it was addresses that they would look into doing at least more small scale sweepstakes, but here we are a year later, same issue.

Voxicity · November 2017

Entitlement ensues...

Tandor · November 2017

Do we even know the winner of that travel competition yet?

HeroOfNone · November 2017

Voxicity wrote: »

Entitlement ensues...

Maybe, I don't feel I'm owed to enter the main giveaway at least, that's mostly an issue of my state. Still annoying to see this issue come up again when alternatives could be made available.

TequilaFire · November 2017

Other companies seem to have no problem complying with the laws of Florida as we have sweepstakes type promotions all the time.

And if a company shows they can run an honest game for 5 years the laws are waived.
Our state is just protecting us from scam sweepstakes that don't award for some reason when the company says they don't have the funds.

Minno · November 2017

I solved this by moving my New Yawker ass down to Georgia.

Looks like my get rich scheme might pay off! Lol

Minno · November 2017

HeroOfNone wrote: »

Voxicity wrote: »

Entitlement ensues...

Maybe, I don't feel I'm owed to enter the main giveaway at least, that's mostly an issue of my state. Still annoying to see this issue come up again when alternatives could be made available.

I think they should have an option for those states with bonding issues. Maybe the max allotted money before they have to register plus a few future Bethesda games with a signature stating you know you wont be winning the huge cash pile?

Waffennacht · November 2017

Tandor wrote: »

Do we even know the winner of that travel competition yet?

They don't do that since they released the info on the first winner. Made a lot of us mad that his wife bought him the game for Christmas, he played like once and won all the money. I'm a firm believer only people with 10-20 hours minimum in game time should be eligible

Minno · November 2017

Waffennacht wrote: »

Tandor wrote: »

Do we even know the winner of that travel competition yet?

They don't do that since they released the info on the first winner. Made a lot of us mad that his wife bought him the game for Christmas, he played like once and won all the money. I'm a firm believer only people with 10-20 hours minimum in game time should be eligible

But if the wife plays, wouldn't she have benefited from the trip/money too?

Huyen · November 2017

It seems the country's that can join in are very limited. Like france and germany can, but I as dutch player cant. I call discrimination on ZoS!

Wreuntzylla · November 2017

TequilaFire wrote: »

Other companies seem to have no problem complying with the laws of Florida as we have sweepstakes type promotions all the time.

And if a company shows they can run an honest game for 5 years the laws are waived.
Our state is just protecting us from scam sweepstakes that don't award for some reason when the company says they don't have the funds.

Bingo.

I looked up the NY obligations. You can find them in complete detail here: https://www.dos.ny.gov/forms/corporations/0255-INS.pdf

NY imposes certain reporting requirements, requires $100 filing fee and one of the following:

(1) a trust account in any national or state chartered bank containing a balance sufficient to pay out the prize(s); or
(2) a surety bond - a contract between NY, ZoS and ZoS' insurance company that guarantees ZOS will pay out.

NY also makes it a class D misdemeanor to fail to comply with certain of the requirements and grants the state AG the right to bring suit on behalf of the people of NY.

Edit: These are not overly onerous requirements, so my assumption is ZoS does not want to value its virtual goods on public record.

altemriel · November 2017

HeroOfNone wrote: »

Before you enter the enter the sweepstakes read the rules carefully

excluding residents of Florida, New York, Rhode Island, the territories and military installations

The issue is bonding, since the sweepstakes exceeding 5k need to be registered in those states. It's a little upsetting we're dealing with this AGAIN after the last sweepstakes fiasco. I really hope we can see smaller sweepstakes or some of these contests get bonded so more of us can participate.

and Europe is competely out again, just few countries....

yodased · November 2017

its significantly easier to just disallow any place that would have protection for non-payment of a sweepstakes or a contest.

Its the CYA clause of all Terms really.

Wreuntzylla · November 2017

yodased wrote: »

its significantly easier to just disallow any place that would have protection for non-payment of a sweepstakes or a contest.

Its the CYA clause of all Terms really.

So, what jurisdiction do you think wouldn't punish a sweepstakes holder who didn't make good?

I don't think that's it at all. I'm not sure what ZoS is trying to avoid, but non-payment is probably not it. Of course, it may be if a jurisdiction requires reporting of who received what. The risk is much lower when nobody knows whether the sweepstakes was fulfilled or not. Still, I don't think it's non-payment.

Edit: Although you did bump my memory a bit and if you changes "protection for non-payment" to avoidance of cost, that would be a good reason.

It's not hard to comply in one place or even 10 places, but once you go worldwide, it could be a pretty high cost.

anadandy · November 2017

It's not just ZOS. Companies that are far bigger and with deeper pockets usually don't bother jumping through the hoops. I live in one of the ineligible zones and I am used to assuming I won't be eligible for any kind of sweepstakes/contests. Yeah it sucks - but it's hardly some kind of nefarious discrimination attempt.

Runschei · November 2017

@rynth linked this in another simular thread and it's worth the read

http://www.mardenkane.com/articles/international-sweepstakes-contest-laws-may-cause-problems.html

Balamoor · November 2017

RABIDxWOLVERINE wrote: »

Its not ZOS or ESO's fault, its your state governments whom have set the rules the way they are to where you cant enter most sweepstakes not just for this game.

I'm saying a much more snarky insulting version of this to myself currently.

Cadbury · November 2017

Must...blame...someone.

Apache_Kid · November 2017

Sounds like you should try writing the state legislators that represents your district instead of posting it on here.

Girl_Number8 · November 2017

Waffennacht wrote: »

Tandor wrote: »

Do we even know the winner of that travel competition yet?

They don't do that since they released the info on the first winner. Made a lot of us mad that his wife bought him the game for Christmas, he played like once and won all the money. I'm a firm believer only people with 10-20 hours minimum in game time should be eligible

People should be happy for someone, not jealous.

Cadbury · November 2017

Girl_Number8 wrote: »

Waffennacht wrote: »

Tandor wrote: »

Do we even know the winner of that travel competition yet?

They don't do that since they released the info on the first winner. Made a lot of us mad that his wife bought him the game for Christmas, he played like once and won all the money. I'm a firm believer only people with 10-20 hours minimum in game time should be eligible

People should be happy for someone, not jealous.

That's the human race in a nutshell

BlazingDynamo · November 2017

Jesus people when will you get it through your heads that it's your countries policy that you get excluded from these things and not the company?

TequilaFire · November 2017

And when will you white knights realize that our state does not exclude these things, they just have rules to protect the consumer which an above board company has no problems with.

Girl_Number8 · November 2017

Cadbury wrote: »

Girl_Number8 wrote: »

Waffennacht wrote: »

Tandor wrote: »

Do we even know the winner of that travel competition yet?

They don't do that since they released the info on the first winner. Made a lot of us mad that his wife bought him the game for Christmas, he played like once and won all the money. I'm a firm believer only people with 10-20 hours minimum in game time should be eligible

People should be happy for someone, not jealous.

That's the human race in a nutshell

I was talking about the ones out of the nutshell.

Why every time I see your name do I think of chocolate?

Cadbury · November 2017

Girl_Number8 wrote: »

Cadbury wrote: »

Girl_Number8 wrote: »

Waffennacht wrote: »

Tandor wrote: »

Do we even know the winner of that travel competition yet?

They don't do that since they released the info on the first winner. Made a lot of us mad that his wife bought him the game for Christmas, he played like once and won all the money. I'm a firm believer only people with 10-20 hours minimum in game time should be eligible

People should be happy for someone, not jealous.

That's the human race in a nutshell

I was talking about the ones out the nutshell.

Why every time I see your name do I think of chocolate?

Eh. I was agreeing with your statement. Look around the forum and you'll find a couple threads proudly claiming a guild's world's first clear and people are jumping down their throat calling them cheaters. Kinda sad when I've seen similar threads in other MMOs and they don't get nearly as much hate.

As for your question, maybe it's because I'm so sweet.

PocketNova · November 2017

As an Australian I automatically don't even bother looking at the comps on here as Australia is never allowed to enter.

Why they're still holding comps that only a very select handful of countries/states can enter is beyond me. Makes the excluded playerbase feel like we're not good enough to be considered.

SisterGoat · November 2017

ZOS would need to pay thousands of dollars and fill out a ton of paperwork in order to register to comply to the laws of NY, FL, and RI bonding laws.

ALSO, states require you pay state taxes on prizes, even if the prize is not in cash.

Inarre · November 2017

No go for Quebec in Canada as well.

Actually I'm really surprised about EU. I figured with such a large player base over there (and I thought they also had EU server over there) that they would at least iron that region out before doing the contest again.

phairdon · November 2017

In the same boat due to living in New Zealand. That's fine. What I would like to see when these sweepstakes come up, is to give everyone else a chance to win say 11k crowns or a years free subscription, as an example.