The UK government has announced a comprehensive plan to combat excessive ticket touting, with price caps on resale tickets as its centerpiece measure.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is launching a public consultation to explore multiple options for fairer ticket resales. Key proposed measures include:

• Price caps on resale tickets (considering limits between original price to 30% markup)
• Restrictions on the number of tickets resellers can purchase and list
• New legal requirements for resale platforms regarding information accuracy
• A potential new licensing regime for resale platforms
• Increased fines for ticketing rule violations (currently capped at £5,000)

The initiative comes in response to widespread complaints about ticket prices, particularly highlighted by recent high-profile events like Taylor Swift concerts and Oasis' comeback tour.

While the government claims these measures will prevent large-scale touting and inflated prices, questions remain about enforcement challenges and potential off-platform transactions. The effectiveness of these measures may depend on how well they can be implemented and monitored across various selling channels.

The plan's implementation and its impact on concert ticket pricing will be closely monitored throughout 2025, especially as the live music industry faces varying challenges with event attendance and operational costs.

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