Sweepstakes in Australia 2026: What They Are and Where to Find Them

In the United States, a sweepstake or sweepstakes is a promotional competition where prizes are awarded by chance to participants who have entered without charge. Winners are randomly selected from all eligible entries.

In Australia, the exact same concept goes by different names:

• Competition - the most common term
• Prize draw - used particularly for member draws and subscription-based competitions
• Giveaway - common on social media
• Promotion or trade promotion - the official legal term used in state and federal legislation

If you are an American who has moved to Australia, or someone familiar with US terminology searching for local opportunities, simply swap "sweepstakes" for "competition" or "prize draw" and you will find everything you are looking for.

The underlying concept is the same - enter, get selected randomly, win a prize - but there are some notable regulatory differences:

No-Purchase-Required Rule

Both Australian and US sweepstakes law require that entrants be able to enter without making a purchase. In Australia, this is enshrined in the Australian Consumer Law. Any promotion that requires a purchase as the sole method of entry is not legally compliant.

State-Based Permits

Australia's competition regulation is primarily state-based. For competitions with prizes over certain value thresholds, promoters need permits in:

• NSW: Permit required for prizes over $10,000
• ACT: Permit required for prizes over $3,000
• SA: Permit required for prizes over $5,000

This is different from the US, where sweepstakes regulation is handled at the federal level and varies by state.

No "AMOE" (Alternate Method of Entry) Requirement

US sweepstakes law extensively uses AMOE provisions to ensure non-purchasers can enter. Australian law achieves the same goal differently - through the no-purchase-required rule - so the AMOE terminology is not commonly used here.

Terminology in Legal Documents

Australian competition terms and conditions refer to "trade promotions" rather than "sweepstakes." You may see references to the "Trade Promotions" or "Charitable Collections" legislation in the T&Cs of competitions you enter.

Online Form Entry Competitions

The direct equivalent of a US sweepstakes. Visit the promoter's website, complete a form with your contact details, and you are entered into a random draw. Free to enter.

Where to find them: competitions.com.au, competitionsguide.com.au, brand websites and newsletters

Social Media Competitions

Brands run these on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Common formats: "like and tag a friend," "share this post," or "comment with your answer." Free to enter.

Where to find them: Search "competition" or "giveaway" on any platform, or follow your favourite brands

Lucky Draws and Member Prize Draws

These are competitions restricted to a specific group - customers, loyalty programme members, or subscribers. The US equivalent would be a sweepstakes run exclusively for registered app users or loyalty members.

Roopon's recurring member prize draw is a prime example: cash or other prizes in the active campaign terms, drawn on the schedule in each campaign’s terms, restricted to active Roopon members. Because entry is limited to members (not the general public), the "lucky draw" pool is far smaller - giving each member far smaller member pools than a public competition.

Where to find them: Roopon giveaways page, rewards club websites

Skill-Based Competitions

Technically, these are "contests" in US terminology (judged on merit) rather than sweepstakes (chance-based). In Australia, both are simply called "competitions." Skill components often include 25-words-or-less answers, creative submissions, or photo entries.

Here are the best resources for finding Australian competitions:

• competitions.com.au - The most comprehensive daily-updated aggregator of Australian competitions. Free to use, filterable by prize type and value.
• competitionsguide.com.au - Curated listings with quality filters and closing date reminders.
• OzBargain competitions section (ozbargain.com.au) - Community-sourced and vetted. Scams are quickly flagged by other users.
• Brand newsletters - Subscribe to your favourite brands' email lists. Exclusive subscriber competitions are common and attract fewer FREE entries.
• Facebook Groups - Search "Australian competitions," "Aussie comps," or "Win AU" for active communities sharing competition opportunities.
• Roopon member draws - roopon.com/giveaways - recurring member prize draws with a members-only entry pool.

Whether you call it a sweepstake, a lucky draw, or a competition, the legitimacy checks are the same:

• Published terms and conditions with promoter's name and ABN
• Entry is free or the fee clearly provides value beyond the draw
• Past winners are publicly announced
• No requirement to pay fees to claim a prize
• The promoter is verifiable at abr.business.gov.au

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