Stuart WoodThe Irish government has backed a bill intended to ban ticket touting and reselling in the country, the Irish Examiner reports.
The move comes just two weeks after the UK government put new legislation into force banning automated ticket bots, which Access covered here.
Business minister Heather Humphreys told the Irish Examiner that the Cabinet has agreed to back, with amendments, a bill put forward by Fine Gael TD Noel Rock and Fianna Fail TS Stephen Donnelly.
The law would ban the sale of tickets for more than their face value for sporting and entertainment events in designated venue with a capacity of 1,000 people or more. It will also outlaw ‘bot’ software, just the recent UK legislation did.
Humphreys said: “It’s wrong that people who make no contribution to sport or music can profit from the resale of tickets for sell-out matches and shows. In doing so, they deprive genuine fans of the opportunity to attend these events, and the time has come to put a stop to it.
“I am confident that this bill will have the support of the main sporting bodies, of many artists and promoters in the entertainment industry, and of music and sports fans right across the country.”