Google has banned Viagogo from advertising on its platform following mounting pressure from UK MPs and the Competition and Markets Authority, who recently announced that Viagogo faced further legal action, as well as calls for action from the UK’s Fanfair, Spain’s APM and France’s Prodiss.

The Face-value European Alliance for Ticketing (FEAT) has welcomed the move. Its director Sam Shemtob told Access: “This is a hugely significant step — Google is the first port of call for fans searching for gig tickets across the world.

“The move appears to have been triggered by recent court proceedings led by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority as well as pressure from the UK Parliament’s Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee.

“It’s worth noting the work of the UK’s FanFair Alliance, Spain’s Association of Music Promoters and French live music industry association PRODISS, who have been engaged in multiple conversations on the issue with Google, some of which date back to 2016.

“We hope other search engines and social media platforms will follow suit.”

A Google spokesperson said: “When people use our platform for help in purchasing tickets, we want to make sure that they have an experience they can trust. This is why we have strict policies and take necessary action when we find an advertiser in breach.”

Viagogo has faced numerous criticisms including profiting from charity concerts and selling tickets that might not be accepted at a gig. It has also been accused of colluding with touts.