TICKET Act

The bill would require ticket issuers, secondary-market resellers, and ticket exchanges to display the total all-in price of an event ticket — including all fees — whenever a price is shown to a consumer, whether in advertisements, listings, or during checkout. Before completing a purchase, sellers would also have to provide an itemized breakdown of the base ticket price and every additional charge. The bill would ban speculative ticketing: sellers who do not actually possess a ticket could not sell or advertise it. Secondary-market sellers offering a ticket-procurement service would be allowed only if they clearly distinguish it from an actual ticket, do not guarantee a ticket will be obtained, and do not market the service as a ticket itself.

Additional provisions would require sellers to disclose whether they are a secondary-market reseller, prohibit false claims of affiliation with venues, teams, or artists, and bar use of a venue's name in a website domain without authorization. Sellers would also be required to issue full refunds for canceled events and, in most cases of postponement beyond six months, offer purchasers a refund or a comparable replacement ticket. The Federal Trade Commission would enforce all requirements as unfair or deceptive trade practices, and would submit a report to Congress within six months on enforcement of the Better Online Ticket Sales Act of 2016.

Consumers who buy tickets to live concerts, theatrical performances, sporting events, and similar activities at venues with capacity over 200 people. Ticket issuers (primary sellers), secondary-market resellers, and ticket exchange platforms would all face new disclosure and conduct requirements. Venues, artists, and sports teams are indirectly affected through the anti-impersonation and domain-name provisions.

Consumers who have encountered surprise fees at checkout — often equal to a large fraction of the base ticket price — would see those costs disclosed upfront, making price comparison more meaningful. The speculative ticketing ban would prevent sellers from advertising tickets that may not exist or be deliverable, reducing a category of consumer harm that has been difficult to address under existing law.

Most requirements take effect 180 days after enactment, giving the ticketing industry a phase-in window. The Federal Trade Commission would treat violations as unfair or deceptive acts or practices under the FTC Act, using its existing enforcement powers — including civil penalties — without needing new rulemaking. Within six months of enactment, the FTC must also report to Congress on its track record enforcing the Better Online Ticket Sales Act of 2016, including coordination challenges with state attorneys general and recommendations for improvement. No new grant programs or agency offices are created.