On November 19, the UK’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Business and Trade announced plans to make it illegal to resell tickets above their original price. This new rule will protect fans attending concerts, theater shows, comedy acts, sports events, and other live performances.
The ban will apply to all platforms that resell tickets to UK fans, including secondary ticketing sites and social media. Reselling tickets above face value will be defined as the original ticket price plus unavoidable fees, like service charges from resale platforms. These fees will be capped to prevent price hikes.
Individuals will also be prohibited from reselling more tickets than they originally bought. Companies that violate these rules could face hefty fines from the Competition and Markets Authority under new powers from the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy stated, “For too long, ticket touts have ripped off fans, using bots to grab tickets and resell them at outrageous prices. This government is putting fans first. Our new proposals will shut down the touts’ racket and make world-class music, comedy, theater, and sports affordable for everyone.”
Dan Smith, lead singer of Bastille, expressed his support, saying, “It’s great news that the government has introduced a price cap on resale tickets — something I’ve been campaigning for with O2 and the FanFair Alliance for a long time.”
Recent investigations found tickets being resold for up to six times their original price. These new measures could save fans around £112 million each year, with the average resale ticket price dropping by about £37. Shares in StubHub Holdings fell about 20% after the news broke. The start date for the new rules hasn’t been confirmed yet.
