Friend/Ships discrimination on country of residence?

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/legal/guild-wars-friendships-sweepstakes-official-rules-2020/"RESIDENTS OF BELGIUM, ITALY, SPAIN, AND SWEDEN ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO ENTER OR WIN."

What is this discrimination about? Can you cut that out of the text plz?

Some back story: I'm a guy from the Netherlands with Autism/Asperger's Syndrome. In the beginning of last year I got in contact with a player from Sweden from my Guild Wars 2 guild who also happened to be born with Autism/Asperger's and things have resulted into a friendship or relationship (How do you define this???) that has meant the world to both of us so far. Today she read about the Guild Wars 2 Friend/Ships 2020 event and told me she considered to send something in, or not. (She would be quite scared to send something to the public internet, as well as me so no choice has been made there) but then I read about the rules that she does not even is allowed to enter solely for the reason that she lives in Sweden?

What is this for kind of nonsense!

It is a U.S. based company so it is probably due to variables outside of their control that they exclude specific countries. This is not a personal attack at all so please don't look at it that way.

I'm no legal expert, but my guess is that it probably has to do with international laws/those particular countries' laws prohibiting their citizens from contests like this.

@"TheQuickFox.3826" said:https://www.guildwars2.com/en/legal/guild-wars-friendships-sweepstakes-official-rules-2020/"RESIDENTS OF BELGIUM, ITALY, SPAIN, AND SWEDEN ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO ENTER OR WIN."

What is this discrimination about? Can you cut that out of the text plz?

Some back story: I'm a guy from the Netherlands with Autism/Asperger's Syndrome. In the beginning of last year I got in contact with a player from Sweden from my Guild Wars 2 guild who also happened to be born with Autism/Asperger's and things have resulted into a friendship or relationship (How do you define this???) that has meant the world to both of us so far. Today she read about the Guild Wars 2 Friend/Ships 2020 event and told me she considered to send something in, or not. (She would be quite scared to send something to the public internet, as well as me so no choice has been made there) but then I read about the rules that she does not even is allowed to enter solely for the reason that she lives in Sweden?

What is this for kind of nonsense!

Sweden: In Sweden, most games of chance (sweepstakes and instant wins) are banned — unless they are simple social giveaways involving non-cash or cash equivalent prizes (UPDATED JANUARY 2019). Games of skill (contests) are allowed, though!

It's a Sweepstakes. They are giving away Gems, among other prizes. (I'm sure they consider Gems cash-equivalent.)

http://www.mardenkane.com/articles/international-sweepstakes-contest-laws-may-cause-problems.html

lol why do people jump straight to discrimination. I am sure it has to do with legal details.

I'm very curious about what kind of laws would get in the way of something that seems as innocent as this. As a Swedish resident I never really encounter us getting excluded in these things, unless it is very specific like "US only". :/

This happens every time one of these contests happens. It's not discrimination or otherwise targeting specific people, it's because there are 195 countries in the world and each one has different laws regarding contests, sweepstakes, and lotteries and how each are defined. Laws also vary within each country (which is why even when Canada is included, or it's a Canada-only contest, Quebec is excluded as that province has different laws).

Considering the Swedish law that excludes Sweden from Friend/Ships is one that bans games of chance, there's not much Arenanet can do except to exclude Sweden so people don't waste time entering and Arenanet doesn't risk getting fined for breaking the law.

Hm, why do legal/law people always have to break the joy?

sadness

Viking privilege.

Those exempted could always work to have the laws changed in their countries.

@"Nyarlathotep.4350" said:I'm very curious about what kind of laws would get in the way of something that seems as innocent as this. As a Swedish resident I never really encounter us getting excluded in these things, unless it is very specific like "US only". :/

I'm not sure about this specific one but sometimes it's not that they're banned, it's just that it's more hassle than it's worth for the company to run it. For example if they have to pay a fee or register the contest with authorities and report to them on how it was run, or they have rules about how the winners need to be chosen. Especially if there's two countries whose laws contradict each other, they'd have to pick one to leave out.

I can't remember where in the world it was but I know when someone asked why their country was excluded from a contest Elder Scrolls Online was running the answer was because the law required the draw to take place in that country, with a government official present to supervise and the studio had to pay all the costs to make that happen. Which is fine for a company based there, but for an American company it would have made it massively expensive.