Key takeaways
- Advertised discounts, sales, raffles and prize draws in Dubai generally need a promotion permit from the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) before the campaign starts.
- Creators who post paid or promotional content need a National Media Authority advertiser permit, and brands should check it before they book them.
- Abu Dhabi and the other emirates have their own processes. Rules change, so check before every campaign.
What counts as a promotion?
In practice, most offers that use a price cut or a prize to attract customers: percentage discounts, “buy one get one”, clearance and seasonal sales, gift-with-purchase offers, raffles, prize draws and competitions. Offers during the Dubai Shopping Festival and Dubai Summer Surprises are promotions too, usually with their own timing and conditions.
Who applies, and when?
The licensed business running the offer applies, through DET’s online services, before the promotion is advertised. Allow enough time: an approval that arrives after your ads have gone live doesn’t help. Keep the approval on file, because staff, platforms or inspectors may ask to see it.
What about influencers and creators?
Under the National Media Authority’s rules on advertising content, creators who promote products or services on social media, paid or gifted, need an advertiser permit. Ask for the permit before you sign, write it into the contract, and make sure posts are clearly marked as advertising.
Does this apply to online-only offers?
Offers aimed at customers in Dubai generally fall under the same rules, whether they appear in a store window, on your website, in a newsletter or in social media ads. If you sell online across the UAE, check the rules in each emirate where you advertise the offer.
How should campaigns be planned?
- Decide the offer, dates and conditions early, then apply for the permit.
- Keep the advertised offer exactly as approved: same discount, dates and terms.
- Book creators only after checking their National Media Authority permit.
- Keep records of every permit with the campaign files.
What happens if you skip it?
Businesses can face fines and be asked to stop the promotion, and platforms may remove ads that breach local rules. The cost of a permit and a few days of planning is small next to a campaign pulled halfway through a sale.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Requirements and fees change, so confirm them with the Department of Economy and Tourism or the authority in your emirate before each campaign.