Im a new subrscriber and in my first issue in the mail I see a card informing me to enter the 2011 sweepstakes. I went online and to the sweepstake page only to find out I cant enter as it is ONLY for the US & Canada? The page says “Open to residents of the United States and Canada only”.
I live here in Sydney Australia and I payed for my subsribtion just like anyone else. In fact I pay more for being an overseas subsriber so why should I not be able to enter the sweepstakes as the card says that came in MY magizine that I payed for !
There are a variety of legal issues, usually in the non-US country, that prevent foreign sweepstakes. Ther may be certain rules or laws that could render the contest illegal in Australia. Its easier to simply structure the contest to fit US and Canadian laws. Australian law may not even allow the sweepstakes to award the prize to an Australian at all, if there are strong laws against foreign prizes, which would put it completely out of the hands of an American company.
Don´t blame the Kalmbach folks for excluding non-US or Canadian residents from their sweepstakes. Sweepstakes are in some countries regarded as a form of gambling and it would be just asking too much from them to sort out this jungle of laws and regulations connected to gambling.
I do agree that I also feel excluded from some of the benefits, but it is what it is.
Yes, that is exactly right. Different countries have different laws regarding sweepstakes. Even within a country there are different laws for states or provinces that allow or don’t allow sweepstakes.
[#welcome] to the Forums and to the joy of Sweepstakes.
I live in Ontario, Canada, (Toronto to be exact) and the Sweepstake draw is perfectly legal in our Province and in the rest of Canada. EXCEPT, I believe in the Province bordering our eastern boundary, Quebec, which is only a few hours drive down the 401 Highway from us. I see a lot of contests advertised here that are OK in the rest of Canada but in the small print it clearly says, “Void in the Province of Quebec”, or words to that effect. The last I heard, Quebec was still a part of Canada, so why can’t they enter these contests? FYI, they do gamble there, as they have Lotteries, just as most Provinces do, to my knowledge.
As far as paying more for your copy of MRR magazine, We get hit with that also. Even though we can walk across the border without getting our feet wet in most places. When I inquired about it, I was told it was due to the difference in the currency rate and the added Postal charges.
Anyhow, again [#welcome] to the Forums and enjoy your subscription to MRR even if you can’t enter the contest.
The Model Railroader magazine is a USA/Canadian publication, and operates by and obeys USA/Canadian rules and laws. It operates within the laws/rules/boundaries of the foreign countries it wishes to distribute in, also.
Paying for a foreign subcription, even paying more than the in-home country, does not automatically allow a foreign subscriber the same rights or more rights as the in-home country residents.
Foreign laws/rules/regulations may differ greatly for all the countries that MR ships to. SOme countries may have it illegal, some {Like certain States in the USA} may require posting a cash bond to ensure that the prize is available should a member of the {state} or foreign country win {which MR cannot afford to do to EACH of the countries who wish to subscribe to}. SOme countries look at it as gambling, and is illegal, some countries may have issue with the value of currency exchange rate for the winnings varying at the time {date} of sweepstakes posting OR sweepstakes winning…
There are many reasons the sweepstakes entry is not open to those outside the USA and Canada.
Not all advertisers in the MR magazine will ship to foreign countries either, should they be banned from advertising or required to ship , too?
There used to be a scam perpetrated on certain USA citizens that they had WON the “Austrailian Lottery” and needed to wire money right away to Austrailia to handle the inter-monetary system fees to cash in their “Austrailian lottery” tickets.
They sent off money and were scammed out of their money as according to Austrailian officials no such thing as the “Austrailian Lottery” existed, or was available to foreign residents, and no fees should have been involved HAD there been a foreign “Austrailian Lottery”
{never mind you that those fooled never thought about the fact that they NEVER entered the “AUSTRAILIAN LOTTERY” or any such thing to “win” such a thing.
Ok, I got the point from reading the first reply… No real need for the long winded and fairly blunt reply.
I expressed an opinion based on a disappointment from not being able to enter. I understand now from the very first reply. The leagal side of things never crossed my mind. As soon as I read the first reply I understood.
A “Thankyou” for the people replied in a polite way.
Thanks “Blue Flamer” for the “Welcome to the forums” at least I got one welcome.
regards Mark
Aussies would bet (gamble) on two flies going up a wall ! LOL
