New measures set to save buyers from ticket scalpers

The Government has announced measures to protect consumers from ticket scalpers.

As the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said it was ‘‘fundamentally unfair’’ and there would now be a review into ticket reselling in New Zealand.

Measures planned include a price cap on resale tickets, enforcing rules around information that needs to be disclosed to better inform consumers, and banning ticket-buying ‘‘bots’’.

‘‘We all know people who have bought tickets to the big concerts, sporting events and festivals who have not been able to attend because the tickets were fake or were duplicates.

‘‘It’s not just big international events that are the issue – these practices also affect our local cultural sector. I’ve heard that the Upper Hutt Musical Theatre’s production of Blood Brothers had tickets on Viagogo advertised for $135 – that’s $105 more than the original ticket price.

‘‘It’s fundamentally unfair that people are profiting while our arts and culture sector is shortchanged and consumers are being scammed,’’ Ardern said.

In February Stuff reported new laws targeting ticket scalpers were expected if Consumer Affairs Minister Kris Faafoi got Cabinet approval. He said yesterday there was now a clear policy direction and there would be consultation before legislation was drafted. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment was seeking written submissions on the issue, by April 18.

Concern about the practice of professional scalpers using ticket ‘‘bots’’ to buy up large quantities of tickets online and then reselling them at hugely inflated prices, had already resulted in bots being banned in the United States, the United Kingdom and in New South Wales, Australia, he said. ‘‘So it seems entirely appropriate we should also be looking to end this practice in New Zealand.’’

Work undertaken by officials revealed the average ticket resale profit for one recent concert was around $195.

The Commerce Commission failed to win an injunction to force Swiss online concert and event ticket resale marketplace Viagogo to change the way it does business.

‘‘It’s not just big international events.’’