Process for a Conference Sweepstakes (w/wo a Survey)

Overview

This process is for use by the Marketing Teams to conduct sweepstakes (with or without a survey), at a GitLab booth at a non-GitLab sponsored conference.

This process uses an automated workflow to generate rules. This is accomplished through a Google Form and not through a GitLab issue. Provided that the request satisfies the eligibility requirements, the requestor will receive a set of abbreviated rules almost immediately (minutes to an hour). If the request does not satisfy the pre-determined requirements, use of the Promotional Games Legal Template will be required.

Process

Review the Eligibility Requirements for proceeding under this Process. Sweepstakes which do not meet the Eligibility Requirements in full cannot proceed under this process. Refer to the mainstream review and approval process for engaging legal for approval of a proposed promotional game.
Complete the Request Rules for a Conference Sweepstakes Google form.
You will receive an email with the abbreviated rules as an attachment. Please review the Standard Promotional Rules and Abbreviated rules section for details on how the abbreviated rules work in connection with the standard set of rules created for this process.
If conducting a survey, create a separate screen/page within the survey where the participant can select to be entered into the sweepstakes and view the abbreviated rules. Follow the guidelines for the proper administration of the sweepstakes below when creating this screen/page.
Determine eligibility of all entries prior to the selection of the winner(s) as described in the administrative responsibilities.
Validate and verify the proposed winner(s) prior to distributing prizes. Instructions for this are located in the administrative responsibilities section below.

Eligibility Requirements for Proceeding Under this Process

The only type of promotional game permitted under this process is a sweepstakes. Please see this section of the handbook to learn about the types of promotional games permitted at GitLab.
Entry must be via one of the following methods:
1. A QR code located at GitLab’s booth. Entrants must scan the QR code to be brought to the entry form.
2. Visit the URL identified in the abbreviated rules, and complete the entry form.
3. Complete the survey at the URL identified in the abbreviated rules. The participant will be given the opportunity to provide their information including their email address at the end of the survey in order to be entered for a chance to win a prize.
The value of each individual prize must be less than $600 USD. See #5 c. and d. for exceptions.
The total aggregate value of all prizes must be less than $1,000 USD.
Eligible countries for inclusion:
1. Austria
2. Canada (excluding Quebec)
3. Ireland
4. Japan
5. Switzerland
6. United Kingdom
7. United States
8. France and Germany can be included provided the rules and all promotional materials are translated into French and German. Legal does not provide translation services.
9. Denmark can be included provided the value of each individual prize is less than $30 USD.
10. New Zealand can be included provided the total aggregate value of all prizes is less than $500 USD.
11. The Netherlands can be included provided:
  1. The total aggregate value of all prizes is less than $500 USD;
  2. Advertisements include the full Abbreviated Rules.
12. Australia can be included provided:
  1. Total aggregate value of all prizes is less than $1,000 USD;
  2. Winners are notified within 2 days of the drawing;
  3. Records are kept of entries and winners for 12 months after the promotion ends;
  4. Any prizes shown in advertisements are the actual prizes awarded;
  5. Prizes are not substituted.
Prohibited Countries:
1. Not allowed due to gambling laws:
  1. South Korea
  2. Indonesia
  3. Belgium
2. License, permit, or registration required:
  1. Philippines
  2. Thailand (also, winner selection by a computer or other automated means is forbidden)
  3. India
  4. UAE
  5. Israel (notification to the Ministry of Finance required)
  6. Sweden
3. Tax withholding requirements:
  1. Taiwan
  2. Singapore
4. Embargoed Countries:
  1. North Korea
  2. Cuba
  3. Iran
  4. Syria
  5. Russia
Participants in the sweepstakes must:
1. Be legal residents of the included countries;
2. Be at least 18 years of age on the date of entry;
3. Not be an employee of GitLab; and
4. Not be a family member or living in the same household as a GitLab team member.

Proper Administration of the sweepstakes

Entry Forms:
1. All entry forms must include the abbreviated rules with a link to the full official rules.
2. Surveys: Within your survey you will need to add a separate screen/page where the participant can select to be entered into the sweepstakes. A suggested way to do this is to have the participant tick a box yes/no to enter the sweepstakes, and if they tick “yes” then capture the required information (no boxes should be pre-ticked). To enter, collect the name, email, country, and zip/postal code. If someone attempts to enter with a country that is not within the promotional territory, the system collecting entries should automatically flag that entry as ineligible. You are not required to notify the entrant that they are ineligible.
  1. On the screen/page where the sweepstakes is discussed, certain information must appear prior to any tick box or text field to enter. The participant must be presented with the abbreviated rules (not a link to the abbreviated rules) after a one sentence summary inviting them to enter. By way of example, it can read as follows:

         Thank you for completing the survey. Please indicate if you wish to enter the sweepstakes described below.

         [insert the abbreviated rules as generated from the request]

         [ ] Yes, I want to enter the sweepstakes after reading and accepting the terms described and linked above.

         [ ] No, I do not want to enter the sweepstakes.

         Please provide the following information to be entered into the sweepstakes:
             Name:

             Email:

             Country of Residence:

             Zip/Postal Code:

You may advertise the sweepstakes via email distribution to those attending the conference or in-person at the conference, before or during the event, provided that all advertising includes the abbreviated rules with a link to the full official rules. The abbreviated rules should be part of the same visual space as the remainder of the advertising message. Advertising should not be made available after the sweepstakes has ended, or to any person not attending the conference.
No changes are permitted to the sweepstakes, the abbreviated rules, or the plan for advertising after the time period to enter has begun. The reason for this is that the countries designated as eligible under this process were selected in part on the basis that sweepstakes are allowed, and for some countries, under specific conditions. If you wish to advertise to additional persons or a broader audience to raise interest in the survey using the sweepstakes as an incentive, then you should not use this process and instead use the regular channel of seeking legal approval for a promotional game.

Administrative Responsibilities

The DRI for each sweepstakes is responsible for determining the eligibility of entries prior to selecting a winner. This may be done manually or through an automated process and should include the rejection of all entries by an individual who submits more than 1 entry, the rejection of any entries where the participant is not a resident of a country within the promotional territory, and the rejection of any entries which do not meet eligibility requirements.
The DRI for each sweepstakes is also responsible for qualifying every proposed winner prior to distributing prizes. This is accomplished through the use of a Declaration of Eligibility and Release which should be emailed to the proposed winner when they are initially notified. There is a defined window of time for the Declaration to be returned by the proposed winner and failure to do so will result in forfeiture of the Prize. Should a proposed Winner fail to return the Declaration, the DRI may select an alternate winner from the remaining pool of eligible entries, but you are not required to do so. The Declaration of Eligibility and Release will contain personal data of the winner and therefore must be treated in accordance with GitLab standards for the security and protection of personal data. It must also be retained for 24 months after the winner is confirmed.
- Google Drive folder to store the full executed Declarations. Please create a separate folder for each sweepstakes.*

Marketing Materials Opt-in Language

Express consent is required before sending marketing materials to those who enter a sweepstakes and/or take a survey. The following opt-in language, with a check box, will need to be included at the top of the entry form:

I consent to receive marketing communications from GitLab about its products, services, and events and understand that I can opt-out at any time by unsubscribing in emails or visiting GitLab’s communication preference center.

Standard Promotional Rules and Abbreviated Rules

There is a set of official rules which applies for every sweepstakes offered and is permanently hosted here. The official rules are structured and formatted so that they apply to every sweepstakes. The details which apply to a specific sweepstakes are outlined in the abbreviated rules - generated through the automated workflow of the Google form.
If any changes are needed to the abbreviated rules before the sweepstakes begins and before any advertising has been launched, reach out to @LeeFalc.

Abbreviated rules will generate upon submission of the Google Form and will look similar to this:

         **The 2025 GitLab Sweepstakes at X Conference** begins on 8/18/2025 at 12:00:00 PM
         UTC, and ends on 8/22/2025 at 12:00:00 PM, UTC (the “Promotion Period”). **NO PURCHASE
         NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.** Enter for a chance to win during the Promotion Period by
         visiting the GitLab Booth at the conference and scan the QR code at the booth to access the
         Entry Form, which must be completed at the GitLab Booth. Any Form not completed by
         accessing it at the GitLab Booth will not be accepted. You will be entered for a chance to win
         One (1) GitLab-branded thermos. Approximate Retail Value of the prize is $30.00 USD; one (1)
         prize(s) total, and the total value of all prizes is $30.00 USD. The winner(s) will be drawn at
         random on 8/25/2025. Sweepstakes is only open to legal residents of United States. Open only
         to residents within the Promotional Territory defined above, who are at the age majority in their
         locale and who meet the Eligibility Requirements for the Promotional Game. All entries must be
         received within the Promotion Period. Sponsor is GitLab, Inc., 268 Bush Street, #350, San
         Francisco, CA 94104.
         For the complete Official Rules, click [here](/handbook/legal/conference-sweepstakes-rules/).

Last modified August 7, 2025: Correct file extension for sweepstakes process (756612dc)

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