UK Government targets unfair ticket resale practices

The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has raised concerns about unfair practices in the secondary ticketing market, revealing the significant financial burden it places on fans. According to CMA analysis, typical markups on resold tickets exceed 50%, while some tickets are sold at prices up to six times their original value. These unauthorized sales cost UK music fans an estimated £145 million annually. In 2019 alone, the CMA estimated that secondary platforms sold around 1.9 million tickets, valued at approximately £350 million. This figure represented about 5–6% of all tickets sold that year. These inflated prices and practices not only strain fans financially but also distort the live events market, depriving venues, artists, and sports teams of fair revenue distribution. To address these issues, the UK government has initiated a public consultation aimed at reshaping the ticket resale market. The proposed measures are designed to create a fairer, more transparent system while ensuring fans have better access to live events. Key proposals include: Capping resale prices: Tickets could only be resold at a maximum premium of 30% over their original price. Restricting bulk purchases: A limit on the number of tickets a secondary seller can buy from primary platforms would prevent large-scale hoarding and reselling. Increasing accountability: Secondary ticketing platforms and apps would be held responsible for the accuracy of the information they provide, ensuring buyers know exactly what they are purchasing. Strengthening legislation: The government plans to review existing laws, introduce higher fines, and potentially implement a licensing system for resale platforms to improve enforcement. Current fines for violating ticketing rules are capped at £5,000, but the consultation will examine whether this cap should be raised. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds (pictured) expressed the government’s commitment to protecting fans and preserving the integrity of live events. “From sports tournaments to Taylor Swift – all too often big events have been dogged by consumers being taken advantage of by ticket touts. These unfair practices look to fleece people of their hard-earned income, which isn’t fair on fans, venues and artists. “Fans enjoying themselves in the moment are what make concerts and live events the thrilling experiences that they are, which is why as part of our Plan For Change, we are putting them back in control.” Culture Minister Lisa Nandy echoed these sentiments, highlighting the emotional and cultural value of live events. "The chance to see your favourite musicians or sports team live is something all of us enjoy and everyone deserves a fair shot at getting tickets – but for too long fans have had to endure the misery of touts hoovering up tickets for resale at vastly inflated prices. "As part of our Plan For Change, we are taking action to strengthen consumer protections, stop fans getting ripped off and ensure money spent on tickets goes back into our incredible live events sector, instead of into the pockets of greedy touts." Annabella Coldrick, Chief Executive, Music Managers Forum The MMF both directly and through the FanFair Alliance has been campaigning to tackle the issue of industrial scale ticket touting and put tickets back in the hands of the fans for many years. We are pleased that the Government is following up on its manifesto promise and we will be pushing for effective regulation to resolve this harmful practice once and for all.”