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Age of Eligibility
Age of eligibility is the minimum age required to participate in a promotion.
How does this affect my promotion?
Depending on the demographic that aligns with your target audience and marketing goals, your needs will vary.
Most promotions require people to be at least 18 years of age to enter a promotion. In most U.S. states 18 is considered the age of majority, but there are a few exceptions - notably NE (19), AL (19), and MS (21).
If you want to open your promotion to entries 13+, you must be mindful of COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) guidelines.
If your product falls within an age regulated industry such as tobacco or alcohol, you will have to make the age of eligibility 21+.
When deciding the age of eligibility for your promotion here are some additional things to consider:
- Is the prize being offered appropriate for a minor?
i.e. a trip or a car?
- Who is your target audience?
i.e. if you're selling home appliances or auto parts, your target audience doesn't include minors, so you'll need to set your minimum age for entry to 18+.
You may have noticed that most promotions require entrants to be at least 18 years of age. This isn't an arbitrary number - 18 is considered the age of majority in most U.S. states. However, there are a few exceptions - notably NE (19), AL (19), and MS (21).
Special considerations: Limiting participation to just those that are 18+ isn't necessarily a legal requirement. Technically speaking, you can open most promotions to anyone, regardless of age. However, here are a few things to consider:
- Is the prize that is being offered appropriate for a minor?
For example, are you offering a prize trip or a vehicle?
If you want to open your promotion to those of any age, you must be mindful of COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) guidelines. COPPA imposes certain requirements on operators of websites or online services directed to children under 13 years of age, and on operators of other websites or online services that have actual knowledge that they are collecting personal information online from a child under 13 years of age. To comply with COPPA, you must post privacy policies, provide parents with direct notice of your information practices, and get verifiable consent from a parent or guardian before collecting personal information from children under the age of 13.
Lastly, if you are a marketer of alcoholic beverages or tobacco products, the minimum age should be set at 21. These types of promotions are more heavily regulated and are restricted in some states.
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