Platform Protection and Profit Disparity: Addressing the Controversy of Ticket Scalping in the Year 2025
In the world of live events, ticket scalping has long been a contentious issue. This practice, which involves buying tickets for an event and reselling them at a higher price than the original face value, can lead to inflated prices, frustration, reduced consumer trust, and disillusionment for fans.
Recently, authorities in various parts of the world have taken action to combat ticket scalping. For instance, in Hong Kong, three individuals, including a teenager, were arrested in February 2025 on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud after allegedly selling tickets to the Kai Tak Sports Park opening ceremony at inflated prices. Similarly, in Taiwan, eleven people were indicted over an alleged NT$43.54 million ($1.8 million) ticket scalping scheme in the same month.
Ticket bots, automated programs that can purchase tickets in bulk at lightning speed, bypassing normal user interfaces, are often used by scalpers. To maintain a bot-free environment and credibility, ticketing platforms should implement anti-bot measures.
Some countries have laws that limit the resale price of tickets or prohibit selling tickets at a markup altogether. For example, US states and European countries have such laws in place. In the Philippines, a proposed Anti-Ticket Scalping Act aims to outlaw high-price reselling and unauthorized sales for concerts, sports, and theater events.
In the United States, legislative efforts like the BOSS and SWIFT Act, the MAIN Event Act, and the Unlock Ticketing Markets Act are addressing scalping and ticketing fairness. These acts aim to restore market fairness, transparency, and competition. Japan enforces an anti-scalping law called the Resale of Specified Show and Event Tickets law, effective since 2018.
Australia does not regulate ticket scalping at the federal level, but several states have introduced new legislation or strengthened existing laws to combat the practice. The legality of ticket scalping varies from place to place, with some regions having strict regulations or outright bans on the practice.
Best practices seen across regions include banning or strictly regulating unauthorized resale, especially above a modest markup, criminal or financial penalties for scalpers and those facilitating scalping, restrictions on bots and automation tools that mass-purchase tickets, enforcement against exclusive contracts between promoters and venues that stifle competition, protecting consumers’ right to legally transfer or resell tickets within reasonable limits, and transparent pricing and requiring resale platforms to display original ticket prices.
These approaches combine legislative action, enforcement, and market reforms to improve fair access and affordability for live event fans worldwide. It's estimated that about 10% of tickets sold in the primary market are later resold by scalpers or other third parties, making it difficult for genuine fans to afford tickets, a situation that is seen as unfair by many consumers.
In conclusion, the global fight against ticket scalping is a complex issue that requires a multi-faceted approach. By implementing these best practices and regulations, we can strive to ensure fair access to live events for all fans.
References:
- The Philippine Star
- Rolling Stone
- Variety
- Japan Today
- Billboard
Technology plays a significant role in ticket scalping, as ticket bots – automated programs that purchase tickets in bulk at high speeds – are commonly used by scalpers. To maintain a fair and sustainable market for live events, it is crucial for ticketing platforms to incorporate anti-bot measures as part of their security protocols.
