The UK government is set to introduce a strict ban on the resale of live event tickets above their original face value, marking one of the most significant crackdowns on ticket touting in recent years.
Ministers are expected to unveil the new measures this week, aiming to protect consumers from inflated prices on concerts, festivals, and sporting events — a market long manipulated by resellers and automated bots that bulk-buy tickets within seconds of release.
The move aligns with Labour’s promise to strengthen consumer protection and ensure ordinary fans are not priced out of major events or scammed by secondary platforms.
Earlier consultations considered allowing resale prices up to 30% above face value, but reports from major outlets now indicate the government plans a stricter cap, limiting resale prices to face value only, though platforms may still add service fees.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not released an official statement yet, but a formal announcement is expected as early as Wednesday.
The decision follows intense pressure from leading music acts including Coldplay, Dua Lipa, Radiohead, Iron Maiden, PJ Harvey, New Order, and Sam Fender, who jointly urged the government to establish a fairer ticketing system that puts real fans first.
Consumer groups and industry bodies such as Which?, FanFair Alliance, the Football Supporters’ Association, theatre associations, promoters, and venue operators have also backed the proposed cap.
Which? described the move as “great news for music and sports fans”, saying it would help limit exploitation and reduce the power of professional touts.
Live Nation Entertainment, Ticketmaster’s parent company, also endorsed the proposal, noting that Ticketmaster already restricts UK ticket resales to face-value pricing.
However, not everyone agrees.
StubHub warned that a strict cap might push buyers and sellers toward unregulated black-market channels, increasing the risk of fraud. The company claimed similar policies in Ireland and Australia have not delivered the intended consumer benefits.
Another platform, Viagogo, echoed the concerns, arguing that past evidence shows resale caps tend to drive fans to unsafe marketplaces with little accountability.
If adopted, the policy will represent one of the toughest regulatory interventions in the UK ticketing space, drawing a clear line between protecting fans and controlling potential unintended consequences.
Supporters believe it will make live entertainment more accessible and fair. Critics caution that it may encourage underground transactions where consumer protection is weaker.
