Stuart WoodThe Republic of Ireland’s government has given its backing to a new bill which will criminalise for-profit ticket resale.
The former Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, now tánaiste and minister for enterprise, put forward the Sale of Tickets Bill 2020, which has been in the works since 2017. It has been approved by Cabinet.
It will see those guilty of reselling tickets above their original value facing a fine of up to €100,000, or up to two years’ imprisonment. It will also prohibit the use of bot software to buy large numbers of tickets.
The law applies to venues with over 1,000 capacity who have ‘designated’ themselves by applying to the government.
Ticketmaster Ireland and Seatwave both expressed opposition to the proposed legislation back when it was in public consultation stage.
Former PM Varadkar commented: “Touts and reselling websites ruin gigs and matches for everyone, making it harder to get a ticket in the first place and driving up prices. This is about making sure people aren’t getting ripped off once live events, matches and concerts get up and running again, especially considering numbers are likely to be restricted to begin with.”