The Commissioner for Consumer Protection is reminding people buying tickets for events that under the Australian Consumer Law, online ticket resellers are required to clearly disclose that they are a reseller and not a primary ticket provider.
The Commissioner, Gary Newcombe said resellers must also disclose the original price of the tickets, with this information clearly displayed on their websites.
“These new changes will complement the WA Ticket Scalping Act which came into effect on 10 September 2021, making it illegal for online resellers to sell most tickets to Western Australian events for more than 10 per cent over the original price,” Mr Newcombe said.
“They also have to identify the location of the seat or viewing spot for each ticket.”
He said Consumer Protection had been enforcing the new measures by issuing notices to online resellers and investigating complaints received from consumers.
“Fines range from $20,000 for individuals and $100,000 for companies, with even higher penalties applying to those using ‘bots’ to purchase bulk tickets, which is also illegal in WA,” Mr Newcombe said.
“Earlier this year, online ticket reseller Viagogo was named as being under investigation for possible breaches of the WA Ticket Scalping Act due to tickets on its website being sold illegally for more than 110 per cent of the original price.”
He said that while the investigation into Viagogo was ongoing, the introduction of the new Australian standard meant ticket buyers could have more confidence that they were purchasing tickets for events across the country from online resellers at a fair price.
