Leadership / 02.15.18

British Government Strengthens Rules Around Secondary Ticketing

Access Staff

Original article published on Billboard (02/15/18) by Richard Smirke

The U.K. government has released new regulatory guidance for the secondary ticketing industry to better protect consumers. One new rule stipulates secondary sites and vendors must post details of "any" restrictions a ticket contains, including those barring its resale. "For example, if in order to gain access to an event, specific ID, the original payment card, and buying confirmation are required in order to gain access this should be made clear," notes the revised Consumer Rights Act guidance. Secondly, secondary sellers and websites must list a unique ticket number if specified by the organizer or primary seller in its terms and conditions. The first amendment eliminates a lack of clarity concerning whether resale constraints include resale restrictions or only apply to disabled access tickets or those with age limits. The second revision indicates that promoters can better identify and safeguard standing tickets from being traded on the secondary market, while also permitting "potential buyers to check directly with an event organizer whether a ticket exists and is valid." The updated guidance has been welcomed by the U.K. live music industry, with a FanFair Alliance spokesperson noting it should "better protect U.K. audiences, artists, and event organizers" if properly enforced. "They should also provide greater clarity to secondary ticketing platforms of their legal responsibilities and increase overall transparency in what is still a murky and under-regulated sector," the spokesperson says.

Read the full story on the Billboard website.

Tags: Reselling , News , Secondary Ticketing