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UK Bans Ticket Resales Above Face Value in Touting Crackdown

The move targets bot-driven touting by capping prices, with platforms required to police listings under threat of heavy CMA fines.

Overview

  • Reselling above face value—defined as the original price plus unavoidable fees—will be illegal, with service charges on resale capped to stop workarounds.
  • The rules apply to any platform serving UK fans, including secondary marketplaces and social media, which will have legal duties to monitor and enforce compliance.
  • Individuals will be prohibited from reselling more tickets than they were entitled to purchase, aiming to curb bulk buying enabled by automated bots.
  • Breaches can draw Competition and Markets Authority penalties of up to 10% of a company’s global turnover under powers in the DMCC Act.
  • Artists and consumer groups welcomed the changes, while StubHub and Viagogo warned of a shift to unregulated markets; government analysis projects £112 million in annual savings and 900,000 more tickets bought from primary sellers.