Victorians are to be protected from dodgy dealers with new legislation to stop ticket scalpers circumventing existing laws by bundling tickets with other items.
Announced by Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, Martin Pakula, the Major Events Legislation Amendment (Unauthorised Ticket Packages and Other Matters) Bill 2021 makes it an offence to advertise or sell a ticket package to a declared event without the written authorisation of the event organiser.
“Victoria’s anti-scalping laws make it illegal to advertise for sale or sell a ticket to a declared event for more than 10 per cent above the face value of the ticket,” Mr Pakula said.
“The new measure will guard against unscrupulous individuals and companies buying tickets and then obscuring inflated resale prices for the seats in packages involving hospitality, experiences or merchandise,” he said.
“Amendments to the Major Events Act 2009 will also require resellers of all tickets to declared major events to state the face value, the asking price and the seat details of tickets in advertisements.”
Mr Pakula said this would ensure greater transparency for buyers on the secondary market and support authorised ticket officers in enforcing the laws.
The Minister said the new bundling law would require event organisers to publish a register of authorised sellers of ticket packages for each declared major event on the event website.
“Companies will be required to state they are authorised sellers of ticket packages in any advertisement for packages to declared events,” he said.
“It will be an offence to falsely claim to be an authorised seller of ticket packages,” Mr Pakula said.
