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Blocking Regions

Control which geographic regions can participate in your promotions. This feature helps you comply with regional laws, target specific markets, or prevent entries from unwanted regions.

Overview

Why Use Geographic Restrictions?

  • Legal Compliance - Comply with regional contest laws and regulations
  • Market Targeting - Focus your promotion on specific countries or regions
  • Fraud Prevention - Prevent entries from high-risk regions
  • Prize Fulfillment - Only accept entries from regions you can ship prizes to

Restriction Types

Include vs Exclude Mode

You can choose between two restriction modes when setting up geographic restrictions:

✓Include Mode

Only the countries/continents you select can participate. Everyone else is blocked.

Example: Allow only United States and Canada

✕Exclude Mode

The countries/continents you select are blocked. Everyone else can participate.

Example: Block entries from Germany

Include Example

Allow Only Specific Countries

This example shows including only the United States. Only visitors from the US can enter.

Include mode showing United States as the only allowed location

Exclude Example

Block Specific Countries

This example shows excluding Germany. Visitors from Germany will see a "Region Restricted" message.

Exclude mode showing Germany blocked from entering

Setup Guide

How to Configure Geographic Restrictions

  1. Go to your promotion's Setup tab in the dashboard
  2. Scroll down to find the Geographic Restrictions section
  3. Choose your restriction type:
    • Include - Only selected locations can enter
    • Exclude - Selected locations are blocked
  4. Search and select countries or continents from the dropdown
  5. Optionally add a custom message for blocked users (e.g., "This promotion is only available in the United States")
  6. Save your changes

User Experience

What Blocked Users See

When a user from a blocked region visits your promotion, they will see:

  • A "Region Restricted" message instead of the signup form
  • Your custom blocked message (if configured)
  • The promotion title and branding remain visible
  • All entry methods and action buttons are hidden

This ensures a clear and professional experience for users who cannot participate while still showcasing your promotion.

Tips

Best Practices

  • Use Include mode when you can only ship prizes to specific countries
  • Use Exclude mode when you want to block a few problematic regions
  • Select continents to quickly add all countries within that region
  • Add a custom message explaining why the promotion is restricted
  • Check local laws before running promotions in specific regions

FAQ

Common Questions

What happens if location cannot be detected?

If we cannot determine a user's location, they will be allowed to participate. This prevents legitimate users from being incorrectly blocked.

Can users bypass restrictions with a VPN?

While VPN users may appear from a different location, geographic restrictions provide a reasonable barrier for most users. For high-security promotions, consider additional verification methods.

Does this work for logged-in users too?

Yes. If a previously logged-in user returns from a blocked region, they will see the restricted message and cannot perform any new actions.

Need help configuring geographic restrictions? Contact support@hyperstarter.com.

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