Why it matters: The measures aim to end industrial-scale ticket touting, with resale tickets expected to be £37 cheaper on average, according to government analysis.
The details: The new rules make it illegal to resell tickets above face value, defined in legislation as the original ticket price plus unavoidable fees like service charges. Service fees charged by resale platforms will be capped to prevent the price limit from being undermined.
The measures also ban individuals from reselling more tickets than they were entitled to buy in the initial sale, and place a legal duty on resale platforms to monitor and enforce compliance with the price cap.
The rules apply to all platforms reselling tickets to UK fans, including secondary ticketing websites and social media platforms.
Businesses face penalties of up to 10% of global turnover for breaches under powers introduced in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.
What he's saying: Abbott said: "Fans in Ipswich have long been frustrated by the inflated prices charged by ticket touts. Today's announcement delivers on Labour's promise to put fans first and protect consumers."
He added: "Measures to cap resale prices and crack down on illegal ticket selling will give genuine fans a fair chance to enjoy live events."
For context: Abbott has campaigned against ticket touting since being elected. In October last year, he raised the issue in a Westminster Hall debate, highlighting how inflated resale prices harm fans and threaten grassroots music venues.
During the debate, he said he "cannot help but wonder if Suffolk's next Ed Sheeran will be denied their chance to shine, too," adding that tackling ticket resales "is about fairness and it is about protecting consumers and fans."
The bigger picture: Ticket touting has become increasingly sophisticated in recent years, with touts buying large volumes of tickets online using automated bots before relisting them on resale platforms at inflated prices.
Analysis by the Competition and Markets Authority suggests the measures could save fans around £112 million annually, with resale tickets expected to be £37 cheaper on average.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: "For too long, ticket touts have ripped off fans, using bots to snap up batches of tickets and resell them at sky-high prices. This government is putting fans first and shutting down the touts' racket to make world-class music, comedy, theatre and sport affordable for everyone."
The bottom line: The new laws aim to protect genuine fans from inflated resale prices and improve access to live events when tickets originally go on sale.
