The Record’s Stub Out the Touts campaign has paved the way for a landmark EU ruling to stop millions of punters being scammed in a bid to see their favourite artists.
MEPs have voted to outlaw the use of special software or “bots” to buy an unlimited number of tickets and resell them at an extortionate rate.
Since 2016, the Record has fought hard to name and shame notorious traders using sites such as Get Me In!, Seawave, Viagogo and Stubhub.
Fans hail new ticketing app that could mean last throw of the DICE for touts
These traders have made millions from ticket reselling, according to the FanFair Alliance campaign group. Now, they must declare if they are a professional seller.
This is the first time the EU has directly addressed ticket reselling.
Daniel Dalton UK MEP said: “Everyone apart from touts loses out from bot bulk buying of tickets.
“Real fans are either unable to see their favourite team or artist or are forced to pay many times the face value price, while event organisers are seeing their purchasing limits flagrantly violated.”
MPs call on music fans to boycott tout ticket site Viagogo over illegal practices
He added that the European ban was an important first step with the possibility to go further in future.
Ed Sheehan, Kevin Bridges, The Proclaimers and Arctic Monkeys are some of the performers that backed Stub Out the Touts.
FarFair Alliance said: “What we need are laws with teeth that prosecute touts and work in the interest of fans.”
The European Music Managers Alliance said: “This is a positive step.”
