UK Set to Cap Ticket Resales at Face Value

The UK Government is set to outlaw reselling event tickets for profit. As per The Guardian, an announcement is expected on Wednesday.

Backstory:

• Last year Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the British Labour Party, claimed it would cap the resale prices of tickets and regulate resale platforms if elected at the general election.

• In January 2025 Starmer’s government launched a public consultation process on the matter.

• Last week dozens of artists including Dua Lipa and Radiohead’s Thom Yorke released a statement urging Starmer to make good on his election promise.

The legislation:

• Ministers had been considering allowing scalpers and ordinary consumers to sell a ticket for up to 30% above the original face value.

• The Guardian is reporting that this has been amended to make it illegal to sell a ticket for any more than the price at which it was originally bought.

• Resale platforms will, however, be entitled to charge fees on top of that price, however they will be limited to a yet-to-be-determined ceiling to avoid inflating them artificially.

• The ban will also apply to social media sites.

• In addition, anyone reselling a ticket “will also be prohibited from offering more tickets than they could have procured under limits set by the original box office company,” as per The Guardian.

Timeline:

• It is expected the law will be enacted next year.

The market response:

• Digital Music News reports that StubHub (-6%) and Live Nation (-3%) stock fell following the report.