RMG licences are not required for compliant UK prize competition websites. What you actually need to advertise on Facebook and Instagram is a legal opinion letter from a UK gambling solicitor — and a properly structured, compliant website to support it. We handle both.
If you've tried to advertise your competition website on Facebook or Instagram, you've probably already hit this wall.
You launch your competition website. You set up a Facebook ad to start driving entries. Within hours, the ad is rejected. You try again, rejected. You contact Meta support and get told you need an “RMG licence.”
You search for what that means and find conflicting information. Some say you need a gambling licence. Some say you do not. Others try to sell you a template letter. Meanwhile, your competition is live, your prizes are committed, and you have no way to reach customers.
This is the single most common issue new competition businesses face, and it is entirely avoidable if you understand what is actually being asked for and get the right documentation in place before you try to advertise.
THE KEY DISTINCTION
Meta classifies competition websites under its Real Money Gaming (RMG) advertising policy. Even though your competition is not gambling, Meta requires you to apply for RMG advertising approval before running any paid ads on Facebook or Instagram. As part of that application, you need a legal opinion letter from a UK-qualified solicitor confirming your competition is lawful.
Sound familiar? We handle the entire process.
From solicitor engagement to Meta RMG approval, we coordinate everything.
But you do need a legal opinion letter — and there's a big difference.
Issued by the Gambling Commission. Required for businesses offering regulated gambling — casinos, betting, lotteries. Costs thousands of pounds. Takes months to obtain.
A written assessment from a UK-qualified gambling solicitor confirming your competition does not require a gambling licence. Tailored to your specific website and competition model.
The confusion between these two documents costs competition operators time, money, and advertising access. Banks and payment providers may also reference "RMG" — in most cases, they too are simply asking for legal confirmation that your site is not gambling, not a gambling licence.
Need a legal opinion letter for your competition website?
We coordinate the full process with our partnered UK gambling solicitor.
The RMG advertising application process — and where the solicitor's letter fits in.
Meta doesn't just need a letter saying your business is legal. It needs a substantive legal opinion from a solicitor with demonstrated experience in UK gambling law, assessing your actual competition model, website structure, and compliance measures.
Generic or template legal opinion letters — the kind some agencies resell as part of a cheap "toolkit" — are frequently rejected by Meta during the review process. The opinion must reflect how your site genuinely operates, not a boilerplate description of what a competition website might look like.
A robust legal opinion should assess:
Our partnered solicitor specialises in UK gambling law and prize competition compliance. Every legal opinion letter is produced based on a review of your live website — not a template.
Get a tailored legal opinion — not a template that'll be rejected.
Our partnered solicitor reviews your actual website and competition model.
No hidden fees. No ambiguity. Choose the service level that matches where you are.
For operators who already have a compliant website and just need the solicitor's legal opinion letter. If your site was built by Nera, this is all you need — your site is already compliant.
We review your website, make the changes needed to be compliant, update your terms & conditions and on-page content — then coordinate the solicitor's legal opinion letter.
The complete service. We make your site compliant, coordinate the solicitor's letter, and handle the entire Meta RMG application from submission to approval.
ALREADY A NERA CLIENT?
Every Nera-built competition website is designed to be compliant from day one — correct terms & conditions, properly structured free entry route, skill-based question, age gating, and territory restrictions are all built in. Your site is already ready for solicitor review.
The legal opinion letter is produced by our partnered UK gambling solicitor, not by Nera Marketing. All compliance changes and on-page updates are carried out by Nera.
From website review through to live, approved Meta advertising.
The legal opinion letter is produced and signed by the solicitor, not by Nera Marketing. Nera reviews your website, makes the compliance changes needed, updates your terms & conditions, and manages the full Meta submission process.
Ready to get your competition ads approved?
Start with a discovery call or go straight to choosing your package.
The myths we encounter most frequently when working with competition operators.
I need a gambling licence to run a competition website
Most UK prize competitions do not require a gambling licence when they include a genuine skill element or a properly structured free entry route. They sit outside Gambling Commission regulation under the Gambling Act 2005.
Meta asked me for an RMG licence
Meta is asking for RMG advertising approval, not a gambling licence. Part of that application is a solicitor's letter confirming your competition is lawful. The terminology causes widespread confusion.
Any solicitor can write the letter
The letter must come from a solicitor with specific experience in UK gambling law. Generic letters from non-specialist solicitors are frequently rejected by Meta during the review process.
A template letter will be accepted
Generic or template legal opinion letters are commonly rejected. Meta reviews the letter alongside your live website — if the letter doesn't reflect your actual competition model, the application fails.
I'll just keep resubmitting my ads until they approve them
Repeatedly submitting ads without RMG approval triggers automated flags on your account. This can lead to suspension or a permanent ban — making recovery significantly harder.
Once approved, I don't need to worry about compliance
Meta periodically monitors approved RMG accounts. If your website or advertising deviates from their guidelines, your approval can be revoked and your account suspended.
Still unsure what you need? Let's talk it through.
Book a free discovery call and we'll explain exactly what's required for your situation.
How our competition website structure supports the legal review and Meta application process.
Many competition websites fail the Meta RMG review — or the solicitor cannot issue a positive legal opinion — because the website itself is not properly structured. Missing free entry routes, hidden terms, no age gating, or weak skill questions all undermine both the legal opinion and the Meta application.
Every Nera competition website is designed with RMG readiness built in from the start. This means the solicitor’s review is faster, the legal opinion is more straightforward to issue, and the Meta application is built on a genuinely compliant foundation.
Because your site is already compliant, you only need the Legal Opinion Letter at £1,195 — no additional compliance review or changes required.
Need a competition website built compliance-first?
Every Nera build is RMG-ready as standard — so you only need the £1,195 Legal Opinion Letter to get your Meta ads approved.
The Voluntary Code of Good Practice for Prize Draw Operators, published by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport, sets out expectations around player protection, transparency, and responsible promotion.
While voluntary, the Code is widely referenced across the industry and is often considered by platforms when reviewing competition websites. Aligning your platform with the Code strengthens your compliance position and supports a more straightforward legal review process.
Key Areas Covered
Common questions about RMG status, legal opinion letters, and the Meta advertising approval process.
No. A compliant UK prize competition website does not require a Remote Gambling licence from the Gambling Commission. Under the Gambling Act 2005, competitions that include a genuine skill-based entry element or a properly structured free entry route sit outside regulated gambling. The term 'RMG licence' is commonly misused — what Meta actually requires for advertising approval is a legal opinion letter from a qualified solicitor, not a gambling licence.
A legal opinion letter is a written assessment from a UK-qualified gambling solicitor confirming that your competition website does not require a gambling licence. It is not a licence itself and does not come from the Gambling Commission. It explains your competition structure, entry mechanics, free entry route, and why the site is exempt from gambling regulation under the Gambling Act 2005. Meta requires this letter as part of its RMG advertising approval process.
Meta classifies anything involving paid entry and prizes of monetary value under its Real Money Gaming (RMG) advertising policy. Even though UK prize competitions are not gambling when structured correctly, Meta treats them the same way for advertising purposes. The solicitor's letter gives Meta documented legal confirmation that your business is operating lawfully — without it, your ads will be rejected and your account may be suspended.
Your ads will be rejected and your ad account will be flagged. Continuing to submit ads without approval can result in your account being suspended or permanently banned — with no option to restore it. Once an account is permanently disabled, you lose access to one of the most important marketing channels for competition businesses. Getting RMG approval before launching any ads is essential.
No. Generic or template letters from non-specialist solicitors are frequently rejected by Meta. The legal opinion must be produced by a solicitor with specific experience in UK gambling law and prize competition compliance. It must assess your actual website, competition model, entry mechanics, free entry route, and terms — not a generic business description. Our partnered solicitor specialises in this area and produces tailored assessments based on your live website.
Once your website is live, compliant, and the solicitor's letter has been produced, the Meta RMG application can be submitted. Meta typically takes 2–6 weeks to review and approve. The primary factors affecting timelines are the completeness of your application and whether your website meets Meta's review criteria. We prepare everything before submission to minimise delays.
Yes. Meta applies an initial spend cap to new RMG-approved accounts as a precautionary measure. Over time, as your account builds trust through policy-compliant advertising, Meta will gradually increase this limit. Starting with smaller campaigns and free competitions can help build account credibility faster.
Yes. The legal opinion letter and RMG application service is available as a standalone offering. However, if your existing website does not meet the compliance standards required for the solicitor to issue a positive opinion — for example, missing free entry visibility, no skill question, or inadequate terms — structural changes may be needed first. We can advise on what adjustments are required.
No. Nera Marketing is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. We review your website, make the changes needed to bring it into compliance, update your terms & conditions and on-page content, then coordinate the engagement with our partnered UK gambling solicitor. The legal opinion itself is produced and signed by the solicitor, not by Nera. We also handle the Meta RMG application submission on your behalf.
