hi, im making an app version of a puzzle my dad makes on his website, it has a lucky dip of the winners who recieve a bit of money. if i made an app equivalent, the people who solved it could upload their solution to the website and be considered for the prize along with everyone else. would there be anything apple would have a problem with there?
As long as your dad is following whatever legal rules govern the running of contests (which may fall under the heading of lotteries) in your city/state/country, I don't see why there shouldn't be a problem with it. If your app is merely a conduit for people to submit solutions to your dad's puzzle site then you shouldn't need to concern yourself with the legal end of things. However, talk to your dad and see what laws and regulations he has had to abide by in order to run his site, just in case. The laws can vary from place to place.
As far as I understand it, in the US a give-away is considered a lottery if participants are required to make a purchase in order to enter--doesn't matter whether you are buying a ticket, a product, or service. Private lotteries are tightly controlled by the estate (except in Nevada, I would assume) and are pretty much impossible to permit unless they are clearly (and verifiably) for charity. So obviously, a contest conducted through a paid App would be problematic, and potentially illegal. Nevertheless, you should be okay if there is a free option available through your father's website. In any event it's probably wise to consult with a lawyer and/or your local state attorney's office.
