In case you missed it yesterday, the Government of Ontario has proposed new regulations in regards to the resale of concert and event tickets within the province.

As stipulated in an official June 26th press release, the proposed measures include:

  • Banning the use and sale of ticket-buying software – also known as ticket bots – that are used to block legitimate fans and scoop up the best seats the moment an event goes on sale
  • Forbidding the sale of tickets on the resale market that are not owned or possessed by the seller (i.e. speculative tickets)
  • Continuing to restrict the resale of tickets unless they are verified by the primary seller, or the reseller offers a money-back guarantee.

Also included in the proposed measures are new rules in regards to transparency:

  • Primary ticket sellers would be required to disclose the number of tickets that would be available through the general on-sale, as well as the capacity of the event
  • Ticket resellers and online resale platforms would be required to disclose the original face value of the ticket and precise seat location, as well as the identity of a commercial reseller
  • All ticket-selling businesses would be required to disclose the all-in price of a ticket up front, plus clearly indicate the currency.

The “Ticket Sales Act” will be introduced to the Provincial Parliament in the fall.