Are U.S. Citizens Too Dumb For Instant Cash Winnings?

About a month ago McDonalds ended another one of its annual Monopoly game promotions. During the promotion, McDonalds dolled out its Monopoly Game Stamps on each of its soft drink and fry containers. To win cash, customers had to make a purchase and collect the Monopoly Game Stamps to form “Winning Combinations."

Needless to say, trying to win the game required players to not only frequent McDonalds, but keep up with the game stamps. (These stamps often ended up lost or ruined in my multipurpose automobile ashtray.)

In the U.K., conversely, McDonalds gave away cash via its lucky straw system. That is, they wrap all of their straws in a shiny OPP film and they give away cash in the straws randomly. The winning straws may contain 5, 10, or 20 pound sterling notes.

I won cash almost every time I visited a McDonalds during the promotion periods and I did not have to collect anything. I made my normal purchase and I became an instant winner. Each time I won, I ask myself why McDonalds does not run the same promotion in the U.S. Are there laws in the U.S. that prevent McDonalds from giving away cash? Or, does McDonald’s think U.S. citizens are just too dumb for instant cash winnings?