Tough new ticket scalping reforms in NSW will help stamp out dodgy price gouging practices in the live entertainment industry, NSW Minister for Better Regulation Matt Kean has announced.

The new provisions would stop anyone from reselling a ticket to a NSW event for more than the original sale price, plus the associated transaction costs.

Mr Kean said the proposed Amendments to the Fair Trading Act 1987 would also include:

  • In an Australian first, outlawing the use of “bots” – security manipulation software that allows ticket scalpers to buy tickets in unauthorised high quantities;
  • Cracking down on  advertising, or hosting advertisements, for tickets that breach  the new resale laws; and,
  • Fostering greater transparency in the primary market by giving the Minister the power to require event organisers to publicly disclose the number of tickets available for sale to major NSW events.

A Bill is being prepared to put before Parliament as part of a suite of ‘Consumers First’ reforms by the NSW state government.

See full media release here

See ABC news article here