The UK government has confirmed plans to impose a legal cap on concert ticket resale prices, pledging to curb profiteering in the secondary market. But financial institutions, economists, and consumer protection experts are warning that such restrictions could backfire — driving fans toward unregulated channels and increasing the risk of scams.
The price caps will not impact price-surging tactics such as “dynamic” and “platinum” pricing schemes put in place by event organizers, despite widespread consumer outrage over such systems.
Culture Minister Ian Murray announced that Labour will move forward with legislation to limit ticket markups following a months-long consultation with fans, venues, and promoters. The proposal could set resale ceilings anywhere from face value to a modest percentage above, mirroring price-cap systems used in Ireland and Australia.
“We will cap resale prices — no more outrageous mark-ups of 500 or 1,000 percent,” Murray said in an op-ed for The Daily Record. “We are examining a range of options, from face value to a reasonable uplift.”
Murray, who also serves as MP for Edinburgh South, framed the crackdown as part of Labour’s pledge to “put fans first” and end what he described as “a systemic racket on fans, artists and venues.” The plan would also hold resale platforms legally responsible for unlawful listings, requiring them to verify sellers, tickets, and pricing, with penalties for violations. The Competition and Markets Authority and Serious Fraud Office would gain expanded enforcement authority.
The announcement has been welcomed by FanFair Alliance, a music industry-funded campaign group that has long pushed for resale restrictions. The organization is financially backed by insiders including the ownership of Twickets, a price-capped resale platform that stands to benefit commercially from regulations limiting its higher-priced competitors. the touts and rewire ticketing in favour of consumers.”
But critics say the move could have severe unintended consequences.
A coalition representing the country’s largest banks — UK Finance, whose members include Lloyds, NatWest, HSBC, and Barclays — has warned that the policy will likely push fans toward unregulated marketplaces such as Facebook Marketplace and WhatsApp groups, where fraud rates are significantly higher and consumer protections are minimal. In regulated marketplaces like Viagogo, consumers can typically rely on guarantees and chargeback rights; in social media transactions, those protections rarely apply.
Read More: UK Banks Issue Stark Warning Against Ticket Resale Price Caps
“A price ceiling could force secondary ticketing activity off regulated platforms and onto social media sites where protections are weaker,” UK Finance wrote in its submission to the government’s consultation.
The banking group’s warning follows research by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr), which estimated that a resale cap could cost the UK economy £183 million annually by discouraging legitimate resales and reducing attendance at live events. The study, published in May, projected that even modest declines in resale activity could strand tickets, leading to lost tourism and hospitality spending tied to live entertainment.
READ MORE: Study Warns UK Ticket Price Caps Could Fuel Fraud; Cost Economy 183 Million
The Cebr report also flagged a surge in ticket fraud in regions with price caps, citing Ireland and Victoria, Australia, as examples. During Taylor Swift’s 2023 Eras Tour in Victoria, fans lost an estimated AU$260,000 to scams after resorting to unofficial sales channels due to limited availability on regulated platforms. Similar patterns were seen in Ireland following its 2021 resale restrictions.
“Historical evidence — including the government-commissioned Waterson Review — shows caps simply drive transactions to underground markets where consumers have no recourse,” said Rob Wilson, professor of applied sport finance at Sheffield Hallam University.
Industry stakeholders argue that stronger enforcement against bots and fraud, rather than price controls, would better protect consumers. The FanFair Alliance, however, has continued to frame resale platforms like Viagogo and StubHub as “unregulated” despite their compliance with UK consumer law and refund guarantees — a stance critics say serves to advantage Twickets and its affiliated interests.
If enacted, the proposed resale cap could reshape the UK’s ticketing ecosystem, potentially pushing out global platforms and reducing resale liquidity while reviving long-standing debates over whether such rules protect fans or make them more vulnerable.
