Overview
- Ministers are expected to confirm that tickets may only be resold at face value, with resale platform charges subject to a cap and the measures set to be put into forthcoming legislation.
- The rules are reported to extend to social media and to limit how many tickets a seller can resell, targeting bot-driven bulk buying and large-scale touting.
- A consultation had explored a cap up to 30% above face value, but the government is now moving toward a stricter face-value limit following pressure from artists and consumer groups.
- Secondary marketplaces Viagogo and StubHub warn a cap could push sales to unregulated channels and increase fraud, citing experiences in Ireland and Australia.
- Live Nation/Ticketmaster backs the plan, while the CMA has opened investigations into pricing and mandatory charges at secondary platforms including StubHub and Viagogo.