White House Cracks Down on Scalpers Ruining Live Shows
Published Date: 4/3/2025
Presidential Document
Summary
The government is cracking down on unfair ticket sales in live entertainment to stop scalpers from charging crazy high prices and hurting fans and artists. New rules will make sure ticket sellers play fair, so fans can see their favorite shows without breaking the bank. These changes start right away and aim to protect your wallet and support artists getting their fair share.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Competition enforcement in ticketing
This order, signed March 31, 2025, directs the Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to enforce competition laws in the concert and live entertainment industry. The goal is to stop venues, ticketing agents, or combinations of actors from operating in ways that harm artists and fans.
BOTS Act enforcement with States
The FTC is directed to rigorously enforce the Better Online Ticket Sales Act (15 U.S.C. 45c) and to collaborate with State Attorneys General and consumer protection officers. The order targets scalpers who use bots and other unfair means to buy many face-value tickets and resell them at large markups (the order notes fans have paid as much as 70 times face value).
Crackdown on secondary market abuses
The FTC must evaluate and, if appropriate, take enforcement action to prevent unfair, deceptive, and anti-competitive conduct in the secondary ticketing market. The order specifically directs attention to harmful conduct that disadvantages fans and artists.
Price transparency for ticket purchases
The FTC is instructed to take appropriate action, including proposing regulations if necessary, to ensure price transparency at all stages of the ticket-purchase process, including in the secondary ticketing market. This aims to make the full cost of a ticket clearer to buyers before they complete a purchase.
Tax compliance checks on ticket resellers
The order directs the Secretary of the Treasury and the Attorney General to ensure ticket scalpers are operating in full compliance with the Internal Revenue Code and other applicable law. This focuses on making sure secondary sellers meet tax and related legal obligations.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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