Legit or Scam? Key Differences Explained
The first thing to note is that there are a few different types of legitimate competition sites.
Some host gambling. These games require an element of luck, like roulette, casino-style games, and lotteries. In each of these instances, it’s entirely possible that no one who enters will win. But that doesn’t mean it’s a scam. Gambling is just like that. You risk your money on an outcome that may or may not happen. C’est la Vie!
Other competition sites run Prize Draws. There can be a fine line between some of these and gambling, but there is a line. Someone will win. It’s only when they don’t that it might ring alarm bells. These games are defined by an element of skill and/or an option for free entry.
In other words, it’s entirely viable that you can enter the game for free if you want, and still have exactly the same amount of chance of winning as everyone else. Or, alternatively, the competition site will ask you to demonstrate some sort of skill, and judge based on merit. This might involve taking the best photograph or telling the best story.
The skill element can even be a little quiz question. Really simple trivia should be combined with a free entry option, but if you go more specialised, so that only a few people will know the answer, you can bypass that option.
These competitions are legitimate and don’t require a gambling license. Chance still comes into it; like any raffle, your name or ticket might not be the winning one. That’s what you sign up for when you start.
But, though the chances of winning vary, this is what’s important with both of these types of site:
- You COULD win – that is an entirely possible outcome
- You have as much chance as everyone else of winning
- Your money leads to the exact same circumstances as everyone else’s money
These three things are the pointers we’re looking out for when it comes to deciding if competition sites are legit.
Common Red Flags to Watch Out For
Sadly, there is a lot of mistrust around competition sites. But, it can easily be overcome— both from a player’s perspective, and from the perspective of a competition site manager.
For all competition site runners: you just have to think about what would reassure you as a player. HINT: we’re about to reveal these for you…
Ask yourself:
1. Are There Contact Details?
People with nothing to hide have nothing to hide. That means they’ll chat with you, if chatting is what you fancy. If the competition site has no contact details—or these seem a little fishy—it’s not a good sign.
2. Does The Website Look Good?
A slick, well-designed website is a labour of love. We should know. People who just want to make a quick buck by scamming you aren’t going to put in the time and effort necessary to make their site look pretty.
So, look for spelling and grammar errors, broken links, weird images, and slow-loading time. If these are present, it’s best to not stick around.
ALSO, pro-tip: a padlock in the browser search bar can be a sign that the site is secure. The more you know.
3. Is There Evidence of This Site Beyond The Web Page Itself?
Very few businesses only make use of one single medium. They’ll likely have a website and a Facebook, at the very least.
If you see a site you want to get involved with, it’s always worth having a quick scope around on Google.
Search for the site’s title. Does it have a social media presence?
Also, look for social proof—i.e. what are other people saying about it? Have competition winners posted pictures with their prizes? Are there positive reviews? Is it on TrustPilot or Google Reviews?
If there are other happy customers, it’s unlikely to be a scam.
4. Are The Payment Options Legit?
When it comes to buying tickets, you want to ensure you’re using a secure payment method. The ones you recognise are always good: Apple Pay, PayPal, Google Pay, for example.
If there is anything dodgy about how they want you to transfer your money—e.g. If you’re asked to click a link—run away!
5. Are They Endorsed?
Sites will stamp their professional partnerships and endorsements on their site, as a badge of trustworthiness.
Usually, these will be famous brands you recognise. If there are none of these, it might be time to look elsewhere.
6. Is There a Closing Date?
If the competition is legit, it’ll probably have a closing date. Otherwise, they probably don’t plan to have a prize draw. Which means, there’s probably no prize.
7. Do They Want Random Information?
Anything beyond your name, contact details, and payment figures should raise a bit of suspicion.
How Legitimate Competition Sites Work
Legitimate competition sites are all about fairness and transparency.
There are a few stages to this:
1. Legit Sites Obtain the Necessary Licenses
Any site that runs gambling competitions must be registered with the Gambling Commission. Having gone through all the bother of registering themselves, they’ll probably advertise this fact by popping the Gambling Commission logo somewhere on their website — usually down in the page’s footer. This is a sign of legitimacy.
For brands that post about competitions on Social Media (especially Meta), there are additional rules. Gambling and Real Money Gaming (RMG) is seen as ‘Restricted Goods or Services’. For that reason, competition brands will also need an RMG license before they advertise these services.
It’s basically Meta’s stamp of approval to say they’re all good to share info about their games. Applying is a relatively simple process but taking the time to do it demonstrates trustworthiness. They’ve taken the necessary steps to ensure legitimacy.
2. Legit Sites Want to Protect You
For legit competition sites, it’s not all about money.
Real competition sites may also have other stamps of approval in their footer. These usually demonstrate that they care about your wellbeing and might include:
A) Links to sites like GamStop and GambleAware (if they’re gambling sites, and not Prize Draw sites – hence why you should know the difference!) – these are there to support people who might be worried about their interest in gambling and online games
B) Links to Government and Official Sites – different countries have different regulations around online competitions, so having the stamp of approval shows that they’ve considered what’s right for them and their locality
C) Star Reviews from TrustPilot and other review sites – happy customers are a good sign after all
Their Payment Gateways and any associated payment providers – because handling your hard-earned cash is important, and should be carried out carefully
Real User Reviews and Experiences
We’re all safety-in-numbers creatures, really. That’s why competition sites often thrive on something known as ‘social proof’.
Social proof includes reviews and testimonials that businesses get when they conduct safe transactions with customers. They can use this to create a bank of trust, on which to build their customer base.
Of course, happy customers will speak highly of the business and others will use that as a badge of trust, encouraging them to make a purchase. Through word-of-mouth, trust begins to spread, and you can often use this to stay safe.
That’s why legitimate competition sites will make use of social proof. They have nothing to hide so there will be reviews on their website as well as on their social media pages.
A combination of different kinds of reviews is usually a good sign. You might see a few stars, some selfies and pics of the site’s winners, a few comments and testimonials, and some posts on social media.
Have a scroll through social media, and see what you find in the way of social proof. Winners sharing their stories is always a classic – what an inspiration!
Tips for Staying Safe While Playing
1. Know Your Stuff
The main thing to do to stay safe when entering competitions online is to know how competition sites work. Know the difference between gambling sites and Prize Draw sites. Like this, you’ll be able to tell if they have all the appropriate licenses.
If you understand how competition sites work, you can easily see when things aren’t ticking over as expected. Staying informed helps you stay safe.
2. Make Informed Decisions, NOT Quick Decisions
If you see a competition that makes your heart sing, it can be tempting to impulse purchase. We all do it.
But it’s always worth taking your time, deciding if you’d thank yourself for the purchase. Give it ten minutes. Give it an hour, if you need. It’ll still be there when you come back, and, if you still want in, you can come back and click ‘Purchase’.
Maybe use your break time to check out your options, and make sure this one is the best thing for you.
3. If You’re Unsure, Don’t Buy It!
If you’re full of doubt about a particular site, it’s probably best to trust your gut.
That can either mean not using that website at all, or it can mean running it by someone else, to see what they think. Two heads are safer than one.
4. Set Limits for Yourself
It can be easy to get carried away when you’re having fun.
Even if the site is as legitimate as possible, you can still overspend. That’s why it’s good to go in with an awareness of this.
Lots of competition sites will allow you to set defined spending limits. They’ll pop up with a reminder when you’ve been playing for a while and block your continuation.
But if that’s not an option, remember you can also set limits for yourself. Tell yourself you won’t spend more than £50 in a week, for example, and do a reality check when you have spent that much. Just make sure you hold yourself accountable. Keep an eye on what’s going out and take a step back if you need to. The games will still be there when you come back.
Setting limits also helps you to be aware of where your money is going, and stay in control. That means, if anything doesn’t add up, you can assess the sites you’ve been using before you spend too much on a scam site.
Competition Sites that are Legitimately the Best
Your hard-earned cash is important. You don’t want to be splashing it on any old thing. We know that. That’s why we pride ourselves in helping clients sculpt the best competition sites possible.
With Zap, competition sites can keep customers coming back for more fun, happily and safely. All you’ve got to do is contact us.
