Alcohol, tobacco, and gambling items are prohibited
What this rule means
Etsy does not allow you to sell alcohol or tobacco. Gambling items, such as lottery tickets and raffle entries, are also treated as prohibited. You can still sell accessories and gifts that go with these products, as long as the listing is for the accessory and not for the product itself.
What Etsy says
Alcohol, tobacco, and drugs are prohibited on Etsy. These items may be subject to legal requirements and, in some cases, are considered controlled substances under applicable law.Read Etsy's full Prohibited Items Policy
Why Etsy has this rule
Alcohol and tobacco are regulated products. Who may sell them, who may buy them, and how they may be shipped depend on the law where the seller and buyer live. Etsy's policy states that these items may be subject to legal requirements and can be considered controlled substances. A marketplace with sellers and buyers in many places cannot check every sale against each local rule.
By prohibiting the products outright, Etsy avoids that problem. The rule is easy to apply to a listing, and it is easy for you to follow: the drink, the tobacco, and the gambling product stay off Etsy, while the glass, the decanter, and the humidor can stay on.
Common mistakes
- Selling homemade wine, spirits, or infused drinks because you make them yourself.
- Listing tobacco, loose leaf, or rolled products as a craft or collectible item.
- Selling a gift set that includes a bottle, and assuming the glassware makes the whole listing allowed.
- Offering raffle entries, lottery tickets, or scratch cards to raise money for a cause.
- Selling a gambling device as a way to win money or prizes.
- Writing a listing for an accessory so loosely that buyers think the drink or tobacco is included.
- Putting alcohol or tobacco in the main photo of an accessory listing, which can make the listing look like it sells the product.
Examples
- AllowedYou sell a set of whiskey glasses with no alcohol included.
- AllowedYou sell a handmade wooden humidor and make clear that it ships empty.
- AllowedYou sell a decanter, a bar towel, or a cocktail recipe print.
- AllowedYou sell a deck of cards for ordinary game play, not as a means to win money or prizes.
- Not allowedYou sell bottles of homemade liqueur.
- Not allowedYou sell hand-rolled cigars or loose pipe tobacco.
- Not allowedYou sell raffle entries for a prize drawing.
- Not allowedYou sell a gift basket that contains a bottle of wine.
How to stay compliant
- Delist any listing for actual alcohol or tobacco products intended for consumption.
- Remove any listing for gambling devices, lottery tickets, or raffle entries.
- If you sell alcohol-adjacent accessories (glasses, decanters, humidors), confirm the listing is for the accessory — not the consumable product itself.
Effort: low · 15-30 minutes
If your suspension email cites this rule
Open the email and find the listing it names. Check whether the listing offers an actual alcohol or tobacco product, or a gambling product, or whether it offers an accessory that was misread. Photos and titles with brand names or drink words can cause a flag even when the item is a glass or a case.
If the listing sells the product, remove it and look for similar ones, such as gift sets that include a bottle. If it sells an accessory, tighten the title and description so they say plainly that no drink or tobacco is included. When you reply, state what you sell and what you changed. Etsy makes the final decision, and you should not expect a particular outcome.
Suspended over this rule?
Generate a complete, ready-to-submit Etsy appeal for this exact violation.
Common questions
Can I sell alcohol on Etsy if I am licensed?
Etsy's policy lists alcohol and tobacco as prohibited. The rule as written does not describe an exception for licensed sellers, so do not list these products. If you hold a license and want to confirm, ask Etsy's seller support before you list.
Can I sell glasses, decanters, or humidors?
Yes, as long as the listing is for the accessory and not for the drink or tobacco. Say clearly in your listing that the product is not included.
Are raffle entries and lottery tickets allowed?
No. This rule treats lottery tickets, raffle entries, and scratch cards as prohibited gambling items. Selling them can lead to removal of the listing.
Can I sell a gift set that includes one bottle?
No. A single bottle of alcohol makes the listing a listing for alcohol. Remove the bottle from the set and sell the other items on their own.
Does this rule cover vapes and similar products?
Etsy's drug and paraphernalia rule lists vaporizers and their components separately. Read that rule if you sell anything used with tobacco or similar products.
Related prohibited items policy rules
- Guns, blatant weapons, and imitation firearms are prohibitedSuspension risk
- Controlled substances, drug paraphernalia, and medical drugs are prohibitedSuspension risk
- Items that promote, support, or glorify hatred or discriminatory ideology are prohibitedSuspension risk
- Live animals and products from protected or prohibited species are prohibitedSuspension risk
- Human remains and most products derived from the human body are prohibitedSuspension risk
- Counterfeit currency, fake identification documents, and fraudulent items are prohibitedSuspension risk
- Products that have been officially recalled by governments or manufacturers are prohibitedSuspension risk
- Hazardous materials, explosives, and radioactive items are prohibitedSuspension risk
- Medical drugs, medical devices, and items that claim to treat or cure a disease are prohibitedSuspension risk
- Depictions of the sexualization of minors are prohibitedListing deactivation
- Pornography is prohibited; mature content must be listed and tagged correctlySuspension risk
- Toxic substances and hazardous chemical ingredients are prohibited or restrictedSuspension risk
- Items under complex legal regulation or registration systems may not be soldSuspension risk
- Items that pose a health or safety hazard, including unsafe toys, are prohibitedSuspension risk