Secondary Ticketing - CMU | the music business explained

EU’s Digital Fairness Act provides “one-off chance” to tackle “fraudulent” ticket touting practices

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Ticket Touting • 3 min read

EU’s Digital Fairness Act provides “one-off chance” to tackle “fraudulent” ticket touting practices

The European Union will this year draft a new Digital Fairness Act that seeks to “strengthen protection and digital fairness for consumers”. The music industry has published an open letter urging EU lawmakers to introduce new pan-European regulations for ticket touting as part of that process…

Chris Cooke • 13 Jan 2026

Olivia Dean says artists have “duty” to “encourage fair resale” after Ticketmaster refunds fans for touted tickets

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Olivia Dean • 3 min read

Olivia Dean says artists have “duty” to “encourage fair resale” after Ticketmaster refunds fans for touted tickets

Ticketmaster is refunding fans who bought touted tickets at hiked up prices for Olivia Dean’s shows on its US platform, after she protested last week. Dean has urged other artists to challenge their business partners on ticketing policies, stating “we have a duty to encourage a fair resale market”…

Chris Cooke • 01 Dec 2025

Ticket touting platforms start frantic lobbying campaign claiming new anti-tout laws will increase ticket fraud

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Secondary Ticketing • 5 min read

Ticket touting platforms start frantic lobbying campaign claiming new anti-tout laws will increase ticket fraud

The UK government has confirmed it plans to ban for-profit ticket touting, a move that has been widely welcomed by the music industry. The pro-tout lobby claims the ban will ultimately result in more ticket fraud, though FanFair says there is no “demonstrable independent evidence” to back that claim…

Chris Cooke • 19 Nov 2025

Responses to the UK government’s planned ticket touting ban

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Secondary Ticketing • 6 min read

Responses to the UK government’s planned ticket touting ban

The UK government has announced plans to introduce new laws banning for-profit ticket touting and capping the commissions that can be charged on face value resale. Numerous politicians, artists, managers and music industry groups have responded to that announcement…

CMU Editorial • 19 Nov 2025

Starmer must “honour his pledge” to cap prices in “extortionate and pernicious” secondary ticketing market

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Secondary Ticketing • 3 min read

Starmer must “honour his pledge” to cap prices in “extortionate and pernicious” secondary ticketing market

Artists and music industry organisations have told Keir Starmer that he needs to urgently “honour his pledge” to better regulate ticket touting and confirm a timeline for introducing a ticket resale price cap. Starmer committed to new ticketing regulations before last year’s General Election…

Chris Cooke • 13 Nov 2025

Culture minister tells industrial-level ticket touts: “your time is up”

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Secondary Ticketing • 2 min read

Culture minister tells industrial-level ticket touts: “your time is up”

The UK government has confirmed it still plans to introduce a price cap on ticket touting, while also stating that ticket resale platforms like Viagogo will be obliged to ensure resellers are following the rules. All of this is revealed in a new Daily Record article by culture minister Ian Murray…

Chris Cooke • 08 Oct 2025

Speculative listings for Radiohead tickets show dodgy touting still rampant across Europe “despite EU’s good intentions”

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Secondary Ticketing • 2 min read

Speculative listings for Radiohead tickets show dodgy touting still rampant across Europe “despite EU’s good intentions”

The EU needs to do more to combat dodgy ticket touting practices across Europe, according to campaign group FEAT. It identified 1751 touted tickets for Radiohead concerts on just one resale site, Ticombo, before tickets had even gone on general sale and despite the band’s anti-touting measures…

Chris Cooke • 16 Sep 2025

FTC sues ticket touting business that claims it is endorsed by Ticketmaster

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Secondary Ticketing • 2 min read

FTC sues ticket touting business that claims it is endorsed by Ticketmaster

The FTC has sued a ticket touting company that uses dubious tactics to access tickets, including using 49 Ticketmaster accounts to buy 273 tickets for one Taylor Swift show that had a six-tickets-per-person limit. However, the accused business says its tactics are authorised by Ticketmaster…

Chris Cooke • 19 Aug 2025

As FTC begins crack down on ticket scalping, scalpers say Ticketmaster endorses their practices

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Secondary Ticketing • 4 min read

As FTC begins crack down on ticket scalping, scalpers say Ticketmaster endorses their practices

The FTC in the US has started to crackdown on ticket scalpers that it reckons have violated the BOTS Act, which prohibits certain practices for sourcing tickets for resale. But one targeted scalping company says its ticket sourcing practices are not only lawful but also authorised by Ticketmaster…

Chris Cooke • 29 Jul 2025

Live Nation sucks up to Trump after US president targets ticket scalpers

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Secondary Ticketing • 4 min read

Live Nation sucks up to Trump after US president targets ticket scalpers

Donald Trump has issued an executive order instructing the FTC to ramp up its efforts regulating ticket scalpers in the US, including by better enforcing the BOTS Act. Although scalper-centric, the order could also impact on the wider ticketing business, and especially Live Nation and Ticketmaster…

Chris Cooke • 01 Apr 2025

UK regulator backs plan for ticket tout price cap

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Secondary Ticketing • 4 min read

UK regulator backs plan for ticket tout price cap

The UK government’s consultation on its proposal to introduce a price cap on tickets resold by touts is ongoing. The Competition & Markets Authority, which has a role in regulating the secondary ticketing market, has made its submission coming out in support of the price cap proposal…

Chris Cooke • 25 Mar 2025

Government opens consultation on “potentially game-changing” new rules for ticket touting

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Secondary Ticketing • 3 min read

Government opens consultation on “potentially game-changing” new rules for ticket touting

The UK government has launched its previously promised consultation on the ticketing business. It will consider new regulations for ticket touting, including a price cap on tickets resold on platforms like Viagogo. The impact of dynamic pricing on primary ticketing sites will also be reviewed…

Chris Cooke • 10 Jan 2025