Germany is planning legislation to cap resale prices for concert and sports tickets in a bid to protect fans from touts, according to Federal Justice and Consumer Protection Minister Stefanie Hubig.
The draft 'Ticket Protection Act' would limit what sellers can charge for second-hand tickets to no more than 20 percent above the original price, with an absolute cap of €20.
Hubig has described the practice of reselling tickets at inflated prices as a 'rip-off', arguing that it harms clubs, promoters, artists and ordinary fans, particularly those on tighter budgets.
The measure is aimed primarily at touts who deliberately buy large quantities of tickets and then offer them again at heavily inflated prices, rather than preventing genuine concert-goers from selling tickets they can no longer use.
The draft is complete and undergoing internal government review, with Hubig hoping the law takes effect before the next summer of sports and concerts, although no firm timetable has yet been published.
For consumers, the basic idea is attractive: if touts cannot make large profits, bulk-buying tickets becomes less worthwhile, potentially reducing the incentive to buy tickets purely for resale and leaving more available for genuine fans.
However, experts note that enforcement will be crucial, pointing to other practices that may require attention such as automated software that rapidly buys tickets, sellers hiding their identities and speculative listings where someone advertises a ticket they do not yet possess.
Some industry figures argue that price limits should be combined with anti-bot technology, verified resale marketplaces and better information for fans.
Britain is also working on legislation against for-profit ticket resale, with policymakers there considering how to stop touts and resale platforms moving offshore to avoid the rules.
Source: The Local. Read the original report ↗