UK Government to Ban Resale of Concert and Event Tickets Above Face Value

The UK government is taking a hard line against ticket reselling, announcing plans to make it illegal to sell concert and event tickets for more than their face value. The Labour-led administration initially floated the idea of capping secondary market profits at 30%, but the new rules go further, aiming to stop profiteering altogether.

Fans of music, sports, theatre, and comedy stand to save millions of pounds each year, while secondary ticket platforms like Viagogo will be banned from tacking on inflated fees. Violators could face steep penalties, including multi-million-pound fines.

“We promised when we were elected that it would be time up for ticket touts. It’s a good day,” UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told NME. “People will obviously be able to re-sell their tickets, but not for any more than the price they paid for it. They’ll have to sell it at face value … They won’t be able to add on any more money than they paid, but they will be able to get their money back.”

Enforcement and Global Reach

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) will enforce the new rules, with the power to fine platforms up to 10% of their annual income. Nandy emphasized that even international companies targeting UK consumers will be subject to fines if they fail to comply.

“These powers mean that rogue firms, wherever they’re based in the world, could face multi-million-pound fines if they flout UK law,” she said.

The legislation still requires approval from both the House of Commons and the House of Lords before taking effect.

Transparency Over Dynamic Pricing

While the laws won’t ban dynamic ticket pricing outright, sellers will be required to provide clear and accurate information about costs. Nandy referenced the infamous Oasis ticket debacle, where fans queued only to discover their tickets had been dramatically inflated.

“We’re not announcing an end to dynamic pricing, but consumers must have the right information and accurate ticket descriptions. People have to understand the practices being used to prevent those huge surprises,” she said.

The reforms mark one of the UK’s most ambitious efforts to tackle ticket touting, aiming to make live events more accessible and fair for fans while keeping the secondary market in check.