UK to Ban Ticket Resales Above Face Value

The United Kingdom's government is set to announce a ban on reselling tickets for live events above their original face value, marking a significant crackdown on ticket touting and secondary platforms. The measure, expected to be unveiled this week, targets music concerts, sports matches, and other events, aiming to protect consumers from inflated prices driven by automated bulk purchases.

Under the proposed regulations, individuals and companies will be prohibited from selling tickets for more than the price they originally paid. Resale platforms may add service fees, but these will be capped by regulators to prevent them from undermining the price limit. The rules will extend to social media sites, where unregulated sales could otherwise proliferate, and include purchase limits to curb the use of bots that snap up large quantities of tickets upon release. The Competition and Markets Authority will enforce compliance, holding platforms legally responsible for violations on their sites. A licensing system for resale companies, once considered, has been dropped in favor of these direct prohibitions.

The decision fulfills a pledge in the Labour Party's election manifesto to...