government make u-turn on online ticket touts

After the recent defeat of the House Of Lords proposed amendment to the Consumer Rights Bill that hoped to force those touting tickets online to provide buyers with additional information and put protection in place for ticket buyers, it looks like campaigners have had a victory with The Lords last night agreeing to change UK laws over secondary ticket sales.

It looked as though the recent amendment to the Consumer Rights Bill had been defeated after an MPs' vote, however that Government vote has been reversed and the Government is set to make ticket touting much more difficult, with those breaching the new laws facing fines of up to £5,000.

An independent review will also be set up over the summer to study the secondary market and services such as Viagogo, Stubhub and Seatwave. Some of these secondary market sites are critical of the regulation saying it would undermine a competitive free market, but anything which stops ticket buyers being ripped off must be a good thing.

Under new legislation, passed by the House of Lords last night, people re-selling their tickets to music gigs and sports events in the secondary market will be regulated more closely. Sellers will have to provide information on how much the ticket cost, the seat number and any restrictions imposed by the venue.

This will expose touts who have bought up dozens of tickets and gives venues which have banned resales the power to do something if they see it happening. Those failing to provide the details will be committing a criminal offence.

The move was driven by an attempt to prevent online touts buying up a large number of tickets and then selling them on for a huge profit. Now those charging huge mark-ups could see the venues cancel their tickets.

Former Sports Minister Lord Moynihan's amendment to the Consumer Rights Bill, also demands that resale websites must report fraud they uncover.

The Independent (here), said, "This marks a reverse of Conservative policy. Culture Secretary Sajid Javid last year described ticket resellers as “classic entrepreneurs” who should be able to operate without interference.

They also quote a spokesman for the Government , who said: "The provisions agreed today will allow them [venues] to flourish, whilst ensuring consumers are better informed when buying second-hand tickets."

eFestivals has always been against touting in all forms, and we are about the only major music & festivals website that has always rebuffed the approaches from these shiny-suited scumbag touts and never partnered with them to sell you tickets.

Whilst this still doesn't solve the problem completely, as it relies on the venues to do all the policing, at least it will offer more protection for ticket buyers and that can only be a good thing.

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