New measures aim to protect fans from ticket touts and unfair pricing practices
London: So, guess what? The government is finally stepping in to tackle those pesky ticket touts. You know, the ones who buy up all the tickets and then sell them for crazy prices? Yeah, they’re getting banned!
Ministers are saying enough is enough. They’re looking to put a cap on resale prices, which is a big win for fans. Remember last summer when Oasis tickets were going for ridiculous amounts? That’s exactly what they want to stop.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds is on it. He’s talking about limiting how much resellers can charge, maybe even just sticking to the original price plus a little extra. That’s way better than the usual 50% mark-up we see.
Last year, these touts made a whopping £350 million by reselling nearly 2 million tickets. It’s about time someone put a stop to that! Plus, they’re thinking of capping how many tickets one person can buy in the first place. No more hoarding!
And get this: resellers will need a license now. If they break the rules, they could face a £5,000 fine. That should make them think twice!
This was actually a promise made by PM Sir Keir Starmer during the election. Reynolds said it’s all about protecting fans from being ripped off. It’s not fair for people to lose their hard-earned cash to these greedy resellers.
Fans have been through enough, especially when ticket sites crash during high-demand sales. DJ Fatboy Slim even chimed in, saying it’s great to see money going back to the fans instead of lining the pockets of resellers.
So, here’s to fairer ticket buying! It’s about time we made it easier for everyone to enjoy live events without the stress of being ripped off.
