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When major artists like Taylor Swift, Oasis, or Radiohead announce tours, they naturally create a huge buzz among fans and dominate the headlines. However, that excitement often turns sour soon after tickets become available, as many find that a large portion of them quickly appear on resale sites at exorbitant prices. This widespread frustration has prompted the government to introduce new laws aimed at curbing ticket touting, making it illegal to resell tickets above their original price.
These proposed regulations, expected to be revealed officially on Wednesday by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), seek to ban resale of tickets beyond their face value plus unavoidable service fees. The intention is to put an end to industrial-scale ticket reselling, a problem that has plagued the live events market in the digital era. Among the key points set to be confirmed are caps on fees charged by resale platforms, a legal obligation on these platforms to ensure compliance, and restrictions preventing individuals from reselling more tickets than they initially purchased.
The motivation behind these measures stems from the increasing use of technology by ticket touts, who often deploy automated bots to snap up large quantities of tickets for popular events. These tickets are then listed at highly inflated prices, which many argue not only exploits fans but also damages the broader live entertainment industry. The new laws will apply widely, covering not only concerts but also sports, theatre, and comedy, and will regulate resale activities across all platforms, including social media marketplaces. Penalties for breaching these rules could involve fines of up to 10% of a company’s global turnover.
While the government’s analysis suggests fans could save an average of £37 per resale ticket, adding up to £112 million annually, there are those within the ticketing sector who voice concerns. Some warn that strict price caps could drive resale activity onto unregulated parts of the internet, where ticket authenticity is not guaranteed, potentially increasing fraud. Additionally, there is fear that traditional in-person touting outside venues may return. Advocates of regulated resale models, such as Twickets, which supports sales at face value, welcome the changes as a significant step for consumer protection. Yet, critics argue that caps might unintentionally push primary sellers toward dynamic pricing strategies, increasing initial ticket costs and shifting the financial burden to fans upfront
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