Learn payment processor restrictions for offering firearms or alcohol in Raffles, Sweepstakes, Auctions, Crowdfunding, or Storefronts. Compliance requirements included.
Offering alcohol or firearms on your fundraising Campaigns requires understanding specific payment processor restrictions and age verification requirements. These rules apply to all Campaign types including Raffle and Sweepstakes prizes, Crowdfunding Perks, Auction items, and Storefront merchandise. This guide covers compliance requirements to help you make informed decisions for your fundraising Components.
How does alcohol work as a prize, Perk, or item?
Short answer: RallyUp allows alcohol in all Campaign types with mandatory age verification for all purchasers.
Detailed explanation: When you add alcohol as a Raffle or Sweepstakes prize, Crowdfunding Perk, Auction item, or Storefront item, you must check the “This prize contains alcohol and is age restricted” box in your settings.
This automatically triggers age verification at checkout, requiring all donors to confirm they are 21 or older before completing their purchase.
Can I offer firearms as prizes, Perks, or items?
Short answer: Firearms violate Stripe and PayPal’s terms of service across all Campaign types and can result in immediate account closure.
Detailed explanation: While RallyUp does not have an issue with offering a firearm, both Stripe and PayPal explicitly prohibit them in their acceptable use policies regardless of Campaign type. Whether offered as Raffle prizes, Crowdfunding Perks, Auction items, or Storefront merchandise, firearms can trigger the same consequences. If either payment processor detects a firearm during your Campaign, they may:
- Shut down your organization’s funding account immediately
- Prevent collection of any pending funds
- Force Campaign cancellation or early closure
- Require full donor refunds (with non-refundable processing fees)
Important: Platform Fees and credit card processing fees (including tips) are non-refundable even if your Campaign must be cancelled due to policy violations.
What should I do before offering a firearm?
Before launching any Campaign featuring firearms, contact Stripe or PayPal directly to request an exception to their policies. Document any approval you receive before going live with your Campaign.
If you cannot obtain approval, consider alternative offerings such as gift certificates to sporting goods stores or hunting equipment that doesn’t fall under firearm restrictions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there age restrictions for alcohol in all Campaign types?
Yes, all donors purchasing entries, Perks, or items containing alcohol must confirm they are 21 or older during checkout. This verification is automatically required when you enable the age restriction setting, regardless of Campaign type.
What happens if Stripe or PayPal shuts down my account mid-campaign?
Your organization would lose the ability to collect funds immediately. You’d need to either cancel the Campaign entirely and refund all donations, or end the Campaign early and fulfill all obligations immediately. All processing fees remain non-refundable.
Can I offer ammunition or gun accessories?
Contact your payment processor first. These items may fall under similar restrictions as firearms depending on the specific product and payment processor policies, regardless of whether they’re offered as prizes, Perks, Auction items, or Storefront merchandise.
Do these restrictions apply to all RallyUp Campaign types?
Yes, payment processor policies apply equally to Raffles, Sweepstakes, Crowdfunding, Auctions, and Storefronts. Age verification and compliance requirements remain the same across all Campaign types.
How do I enable age verification for alcohol?
In your item settings (for prizes, Perks, Auction items, or Storefront items), check the box labeled “This prize contains alcohol and is age restricted.” Age verification will automatically appear during checkout for all applicable purchases.