Overview

• Illinois's anti-reservation scalping bill has passed the state House unanimously and awaits Senate review, while Louisiana's measure is under consideration by the House Commerce Committee.
• Both proposals would mandate agreements between restaurants and booking platforms, imposing penalties of up to $1,000 per violation for unauthorized reservation resales.
• The legislation builds on New York's Restaurant Reservation Anti-Piracy Act, which took effect in February 2025 and serves as a model for similar reforms nationwide.
• Restaurant groups argue that unauthorized resales create artificial scarcity, lead to no-shows, and harm businesses recovering from pandemic-related challenges.
• Proponents of secondary marketplaces, like Appointment Trader, defend their platforms as offering consumer flexibility but acknowledge challenges such as bot exploitation.