The complex world of secondary ticketing in the UK, where tickets for live events are resold, often at inflated prices. We explore the current legal landscape, including consumer protection laws and specific legislation designed to combat unfair practices like ticket harvesting by 'bots' and misleading pricing. Learn about the efforts of regulatory bodies like the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) to enforce these rules and hold platforms accountable. We'll also cover recent government consultations and proposed reforms aimed at making the market fairer and more transparent for fans.

Key Takeaways:

• UK secondary ticketing is regulated by a blend of general consumer laws (e.g., Consumer Rights Act 2015) and targeted legislation like the Digital Economy Act 2017 and the new Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.
• Legislation aims to ensure transparency, requiring sellers and platforms to provide clear information like face value, seat location, and seller identity. It also criminalizes the use of 'bots' for bulk ticket purchases and prohibits misleading 'drip pricing'.
• Enforcement bodies, particularly the CMA and ASA, have taken action against major secondary ticketing platforms (e.g., Viagogo, StubHub), leading to changes in how information is presented and how refunds are handled. The CMA is currently investigating Ticketmaster over dynamic pricing practices for Oasis concert sales.
• Calls for reform continue, with recent government consultations exploring options like price caps on resales, increased accountability for platforms, and strengthened enforcement powers for regulators.

Definitions

• Secondary Ticketing: The resale of tickets for live recreational, sporting, or cultural events after their initial sale, often at a different price than the original face value.
• Dynamic Pricing: A pricing strategy where ticket prices are adjusted in real-time based on factors such as demand, time, and availability, leading to price fluctuations.
• Bots: Automated software applications used to rapidly purchase large quantities of tickets, often in excess of set limits, with the intent of financial gain from resale.

Source: Ticket resales
Research Briefing
Published Tuesday, 22 July, 2025

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No outside chatter: source material only taken from Hansard and the Parliament UK website.

Contains Parliamentary information repurposed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.