U.S. House of Representatives Passes TICKET Act to Address Transparency and Fairness in Ticket Sales
On Wednesday (May 15), the United States House of Representatives passed the Transparency In Charges for Key Events Ticketing (TICKET) Act. Introduced last year by Representatives Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) and Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), the legislation aims to address deceptive practices in the live event ticket marketplace and passed with overwhelming 388-24 bipartisan support.
In a joint statement, leading Republicans and Democrats from the House Energy and Commerce Committee, along with senior members from the Innovation, Data, and Commerce Subcommittee, declared, "This consensus legislation will end deceptive ticketing practices that frustrate consumers who simply want to enjoy a concert, show, or sporting event by restoring fairness and transparency to the ticket marketplace."
The statement further emphasized, "After years of bipartisan work, we will now be able to enhance the customer experience of buying event tickets online. We look forward to continuing to work together to urge quick Senate passage so that we can send it to the president’s desk to be signed into law."
If enacted, the TICKET Act will mandate crucial reforms, including the requirement for ticket sellers to display the total price upfront, inclusive of all fees. The legislation also seeks to ban speculative ticketing, ensure refunds for event cancellations and postponements, and crack down on fraudulent ticketing websites.
Live Nation Entertainment commended the House for passing the bill, noting that the decision follows the company's data showing an increase in completed sales after its move to "all-in" pricing.
“We’ve led the industry by adopting all-in pricing and support a national law to ensure everyone follows this policy that benefits fans and artists,” the company said. “We also back other ticketing reforms like enhancing anti-bot legislation and banning speculative ticketing and other predatory resale practices.”
“Bipartisan support for these reforms show that protecting fans and artists is in everyone’s interest. We look forward to working with policymakers to make these changes law.”
Representative Schakowsky, a key proponent of the legislation, made a statement on X (formerly Twitter) expressing her satisfaction with the House's passage of the TICKET Act. She highlighted its potential to safeguard consumers from fraudulent practices and hidden fees and the bipartisan collaboration behind the bill. She is also urging swift action from the Senate to send it to President Joe Biden for final approval.
