The UK government is set to ban the resale of live event tickets for more than face value, aiming to tackle profiteering by touts.
Tickets will only be allowed to be resold at the exact amount paid, with resale platforms able to charge capped service fees. The ban will apply across all platforms, including social media, and the Competition and Markets Authority will enforce compliance.
The move follows calls from artists such as Radiohead, Dua Lipa and Coldplay, who urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to act on Labour’s pledge to stop what they described as “pernicious” touting.
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Investigations have exposed large-scale touting, including thousands of Oasis reunion tickets being listed by professional sellers. Consumer group Which? also highlighted extreme markups, with some tickets reaching several thousand pounds.
Resale platforms warn the ban could push fans to unsafe markets, but supporters say it will protect consumers and make live events more accessible.