Ministers are facing mounting pressure to adhere to their commitment to outlaw ticket touting, amid apprehensions that the proposed legislation might be omitted from next month's King's Speech.
Government's Pledge to End Ticket Touting
In November, the Government unveiled plans to introduce new regulations that would render it illegal to resell tickets for live events at a profit, effectively putting an end to the "industrial-scale" touting that has plagued millions of fans. The proposed rules aim to prohibit the resale of tickets for concerts, theatre, comedy, sports, and other live events at prices exceeding their original cost.
The Labour manifesto had pledged stronger safeguards to prevent consumers from being defrauded or priced out of events by touts, who often employ bots to purchase tickets in bulk as soon as they go on sale, subsequently selling them at exorbitant markups on secondary ticketing platforms.
Details of the Proposed Regulations
Under the proposed rules, it would be illegal to sell tickets at a price above face value, defined as the original price plus unavoidable fees such as service charges. Service fees would be capped to prevent platforms from undermining the price limit, and platforms would have a legal obligation to monitor and enforce compliance. Additionally, individuals would be prohibited from reselling more tickets than they were originally entitled to purchase.
The initiative has garnered support from numerous globally renowned artists, including Radiohead, Dua Lipa, and Coldplay.
Concerns Over Potential Delay
Following a report in the Guardian that Ian Murray, the minister responsible for the policy, had informed music industry groups not to be alarmed if the measure was absent from the King's Speech on May 13, the Government clarified that the policy requires new primary legislation, which it is striving to deliver as soon as possible.
A Government spokesperson stated: "Ticket touts are a blight on the live events industry, causing misery for millions of fans. We set out decisive plans last year to stamp out touting once and for all, and we are committed to delivering on these for the benefit of fans and industry."
The music industry and consumer group Which? have expressed concerns about any potential delay, especially as websites appeared to show touts selling tickets for the Radio 1 Big Weekend in Sunderland well above the two-ticket limit and at vastly inflated prices.
Industry Reactions
Annabella Coldrick, chief executive of the Music Managers Forum, remarked: "2026 was supposed to mark this Government moving 'from announcements to action' but we have little evidence of this to date. A ban on ticket touting was one of only two music-related commitments in the Labour manifesto, alongside fixing EU touring. These are widely supported, pro-growth measures that will deliver tangible benefits to the British public. However, if ticket resale legislation is not presented in the King's Speech, it will have the opposite effect and continue to cost those constituents hundreds of millions of pounds a year. This Government needs to stand by its promises and get it done."
Adam Webb, campaign manager at FanFair Alliance, said: "The Government has a big decision to make: will they 'put fans first' or not? Last November, ministers committed to 'bold new measures' to ban online ticket touting and support consumers. Enacting these measures should be a no-brainer but, if legislation is not presented in the upcoming King's Speech, the cycle of industrial-scale exploitation will continue."
Lisa Webb, consumer law expert at Which?, added: "The Government has promised to put fans first but, if this legislation is not included in the King's Speech, the only ones celebrating will be the rip-off secondary ticketing websites and online touts."
