The UK’s Competition and Markets (CMA) authority has today issued a report which, if approved, has a direct impact on ticket resale sites.

The three key recommendations include:

• a ban on platforms allowing resellers to sell more tickets for an event than they can legally buy from the primary market;
• ensuring platforms are fully responsible for incorrect information about tickets that are listed for sale on their websites;
• a new system of licensing for platforms that sell secondary tickets that would enable an authority to act quickly and issue sanctions such as taking down websites, withdrawing a business’s right to operate in the sector, and the imposition of substantial fines.

The third point is the strongest indicator that increased regulation would give the government rights to not only take down a website but to withdraw a business’s right to operate.

George Lusty, Senior Director for Consumer Protection at the CMA, said:

“Over recent years we have taken strong action to protect people buying tickets from resellers online, and the secondary ticket websites are now worlds apart from those we saw before the CMA took action. While it is clear that concerns about the sector remain, there are limits to what the CMA and other enforcers can do with their current powers. With live music and sporting events starting back up we want the Government to take action to strengthen the current laws and introduce a licensing regime for secondary ticketing platforms”.

“If adopted, these proposals will help prevent people getting ripped off by unscrupulous resellers online and we stand ready to help the Government to implement them.”

You can read the full report on the UK Government site here.