New legislation targets profit-driven touts and unauthorized resellers.
Photo credit: Yvette de Wit on Unsplash
The UK government is preparing to introduce legislation banning the resale of live music and event tickets above their original face value, according to a new report from The Guardian. The move will effectively outlaw profit-driven ticket reselling, with details expected to be announced later this week.
This policy builds on and surpasses Labour’s 2024 manifesto pledge, which initially proposed a resale cap at 30% above face value, later revised down to 10%. Under the incoming law, individuals will no longer be able to sell tickets at a markup—even outside of official resale platforms. The rules will also apply to social media and informal channels.
Ticket resale platforms will still be allowed to charge service fees, though further limitations on those charges are expected. Resellers will be required to comply with quantity restrictions matching the original point of sale. Oversight and enforcement will be led by the Competition and Markets Authority.
The crackdown follows sustained pressure from major UK artists including Dua Lipa, Radiohead, and Coldplay, who publicly urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to act against what they called “extortionate and pernicious” secondary markets, specifically naming platforms like StubHub and ViaGoGo.
