Our bank wants to give a cruise away for one of our grand openings. My question is can this contest be limited to customers only? Do we have to include the general public? Where can I find the actual law stating that it is open to everyone?

Look up lotteries on your regulator's website. If an entrant is required to give consideration (buying a ticket, being a customer/having an account, etc.) in exchange for an opportunity to win a prize worth more than the consideration they provided, you have a lottery, which is prohibited.

That being said, there are ways to conduct a drawing that keep you in the clear, such as making it open to the general public and not providing your customers a greater chance of winning.

Do you by any chance know the exact law or where I could find it? I have been scouring the internet and our states department of banking and cannot find it...

"Do you by any chance know the exact law or where I could find it?"

I would start with your State law. Since you don't say where you are located it is difficult to point you in the right direction.

Sugar Land Texas

Chapters 621 and 622 of the Commerce and Business Code.

Thank You!!