Win $500 Giveaways in Australia

Giveaways at the $500 level open and close constantly, and the odds on any one of them come down to how many people entered rather than how large the prize is. A promotion advertised everywhere at $500 is a worse proposition than a quieter one at the same figure.

What happens to $500 if you win it in Australia

A prize won in an ordinary game of chance is generally not assessable income in Australia, so a gift card or a cash prize from a promotion is usually yours in full and does not go on your return. The position changes if winning is connected to a business or an income-earning activity, which is why prizes won by influencers and professional competition entrants are treated differently. What a prize earns afterwards is ordinary income: interest on prize money in a savings account is interest like any other. The ATO is the authority on your own circumstances, not a promotions site.

Entering without paying

Entry to a game of chance must not require a purchase in the ordinary case, and where a promotion is tied to buying something there is normally a free entry method set out in the terms. The terms are the authority on which type a promotion is, and a promotion whose terms cannot be found at all is the one to walk away from.

Who oversees promotions in Australia

Trade promotions sit under Australian Consumer Law, enforced by the ACCC and the state fair trading offices. Some states require a promoter running a game of chance to hold a permit before the promotion opens, and those that do publish the permit number in the terms, which is a useful thing to look for: a promotion quoting a permit number has been through a process, and one claiming a permit it cannot name has not.

Questions

Would I pay tax on $500?: A prize won in an ordinary game of chance is generally not assessable income in Australia, so a gift card or a cash prize from a promotion is usually yours in full and does not go on your return. The position changes if winning is connected to a business or an income-earning activity, which is why prizes won by influencers and professional competition entrants are treated differently. What a prize earns afterwards is ordinary income: interest on prize money in a savings account is interest like any other. The ATO is the authority on your own circumstances, not a promotions site.
Who regulates these promotions in Australia?: Trade promotions sit under Australian Consumer Law, enforced by the ACCC and the state fair trading offices. Some states require a promoter running a game of chance to hold a permit before the promotion opens, and those that do publish the permit number in the terms, which is a useful thing to look for: a promotion quoting a permit number has been through a process, and one claiming a permit it cannot name has not.

Open right now in Australia

Before you enter

Check the sponsor page for Australia eligibility, free-entry terms and the exact prize value before entering.

Named sponsor: A real giveaway names the company responsible for running it. If the entry page hides the sponsor or only uses a famous brand name with no company behind it, treat it as unsafe.
Official rules: The rules should state the prize, approximate retail value, entry period, eligibility, winner selection method and how odds are determined. Missing rules are the strongest reason to walk away.
Free entry: A US sweepstakes must be free to enter. No purchase necessary is a legal requirement, not a courtesy. Any fee to enter or claim a prize disqualifies the listing.