The UK government is set to outlaw reselling tickets for profit in a major crackdown on touts and secondary ticketing platforms. Ministers are expected to announce on Wednesday that tickets can only be resold at their original face value, rejecting earlier proposals to allow markups of up to 30%.
The move follows a high-profile campaign by dozens of leading artists, including Coldplay, Radiohead and Dua Lipa, who last week urged the government to honor Labour's manifesto pledge to stop touts exploiting fans. The ban targets professional resellers who use bots to buy tickets in bulk the moment they go on sale, then sell them at inflated prices on secondary sites like Viagogo and StubHub.
According to reports in the Guardian and Financial Times, the cap will be set at face value, though resale platforms can still charge fees on top of that price. The government declined to comment on the reports.
Artist Coalition Demands Action
The timing comes just days after some of music's biggest names signed a statement calling for a price cap to "restore faith in the ticketing system" and "help democratise public access to the arts". Signatories included The Cure's Robert Smith, New Order, Mark Knopfler, Iron Maiden, PJ Harvey and Mercury Prize winner Sam Fender, alongside consumer watchdog Which?, the Football Supporters' Association and organizations representing the music and theatre industries.
Market Impact and Extreme Pricing
Shares in US-listed StubHub Holdings dropped 10% on Monday after reports of the impending ban emerged. The crackdown addresses rampant price inflation on secondary sites, where consumer group Which? found tickets listed for extreme markups. The most extreme example: a ticket for All Points East festival in London's Victoria Park, headlined by Raye, advertised for £114,666 on Viagogo.
The Guardian's investigation into Oasis's reunion tour revealed tickets listed at £4,442 on Viagogo and £3,498.85 on StubHub for Wembley Stadium shows. Virgin O2 estimates that ticket markups cost consumers £145 million annually.
Consumer Victory
Rocio Concha, director of policy and advocacy at Which?, said: «This is great news for music and sports fans. A price cap set at the ticket's original face value plus fees will rein in professional touts and put tickets back in the hands of real fans.»
She added: «For far too long, music and sports fans who missed out on tickets in the initial sales have been ripped off by touts on secondary ticketing sites and forced to pay over the odds to see their favourite artist perform or watch their team play.»
The Competition and Markets Authority will enforce the new law. The ban will extend to social media sites, and resale platforms will face legal liability for non-compliant sellers. The government could include the necessary legislation in next year's King's Speech.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
