CrippsCorner
Well-Known Member
The problem has to do with laws and regulations from where you are, and where the company is.
For example, all draws where you can win something in Canada, the province of Quebec, where I am, is ALWAYS excluded form it. And they are none in within Quebec due to the huge amount of red tape, and super high taxes to pay on the value of the product.
Sometimes you can find people doing a world wide contest, but in the majority of times, based on where the winner is, it is technically illegal, but because it is an individual doing it or at worst a tiny small company, its doesn't fall on the radar of authorities. But a company like Microsoft, could lead to huge penalties to pay, including their own lawyers, making that Surface that you won, not cost the price of the system, but rather hundred of thousands of dollars, even reach close to millions.
I understand that, it was discussed on here shortly after I originally posted up my experience! The thing that really annoyed me though, was that there was no mention of this before I went to the effort of creating my entry video. They contacted me on Twitter after I had won (which states I'm from the UK) and even that didn't trigger them to tell me the situation. It was literally only when I was filling out my claim form that I realised there was no address to select other than America!
By the way, I did actually get it in the end, as I got it sent to a friend out there in Washington who forwarded it on to me... but it did cost me £100 ($170) in shipping for my 'free' prize