EGYPT Law and Practice Contributed by: Mohamed Eldib, Eldib & Co
and consent. Advertisers should inform users about the collection and use of personal data for profiling or behavioural targeting. Regulators are increasingly concerned about the use of cookies, tracking tools and third-party data without consent, especially in financial, healthcare and children’s advertising. 6.5 Marketing to Children There are additional restrictions on the collection and use of children’s data for advertising purposes. Advertisers must not collect data from children under the age of 18 without parental consent. Content must be age-appropriate and must not exploit children’s vulnerability. Violations may lead to regulatory action and reputational damage. The SCMR also monitors content directed at children to ensure it is not harmful or misleading. 6.6 Other Rules Advertisers must avoid collecting excessive personal data or using data for undisclosed purposes. Data obtained through promotions or online interactions must be stored securely and used only for the purpos - es communicated at the time of collection. Although enforcement is still developing, reputational risks and consumer backlash are increasing in cases involving privacy breaches or unauthorised data sharing. 7. Sweepstakes and Other Consumer Promotions 7.1 Sweepstakes and Contests Sweepstakes and contests are permitted in Egypt but are subject to prior authorisation. Organisers must obtain a licence from the Ministry of Social Solidar - ity before launching promotional campaigns involving prizes, draws or games of chance. The rules must be transparent, and the promotion must not mislead or coerce participation. Failure to obtain approval may result in the cancellation of the campaign and admin - istrative penalties. 7.2 Contests of Skill and Games of Chance Egyptian law distinguishes between games of chance and contests of skill. Games of chance are subject to stricter controls, including prior authorisation and prize disclosure. A game of skill is defined as one
where the outcome depends primarily on the partici - pant’s knowledge, ability or judgement, rather than chance. These may not require formal approval but must still comply with advertising and consumer pro - tection rules. 7.3 Registration and Approval Requirements Any promotional activity involving prize draws, random selection or games of chance must be registered and approved by the Ministry of Social Solidarity. Organis - ers are required to submit details of the mechanics, value of prizes and terms of participation. Approval may take several weeks and is mandatory before pub - lic communication or launch of the promotion. 7.4 Free and Reduced-Price Offers Free offers and promotional discounts must be pre - sented transparently and must not mislead consum - ers regarding actual cost or conditions. If conditions apply, these must be clearly stated. “Buy one, get one free” promotions must not involve hidden costs or deceptive pricing. Misleading use of the word “free” or undisclosed terms can lead to fines and enforce - ment by the CPA. 7.5 Automatic Renewal/Continuous Service Offers There are no sector-specific laws governing automat - ic renewal or continuous service billing in Egypt, but such arrangements must comply with general prin - ciples of fairness and transparency under the Civil Code and Consumer Protection Law. The terms of renewal must be clearly disclosed before subscrip - tion, and consumers must be given a clear and easy way to cancel. Failure to disclose automatic billing or renewal terms can lead to refund orders or enforce - ment action.
8. Artificial Intelligence 8.1 AI and Advertising Content
There are currently no dedicated laws in Egypt spe - cifically regulating the use of AI in the development of advertising content. However, general advertising principles apply regardless of the underlying technol - ogy. Advertisements created using AI tools must com - ply with laws prohibiting misleading or deceptive con -
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