Combating Unfair Practices in the Live Entertainment Market
This executive order directs federal agencies to curb unfair practices in the live entertainment market, particularly the ticketing ecosystem around concerts and other events. It targets middlemen, scalpers, and bots that drive up prices and undermine fans’ access to affordable tickets. The order calls for robust enforcement of competition laws, stronger action under the Better Online Tickets Sales Act (the BOTS Act), and new emphasis on price transparency across the entire ticket-purchase process, including resale markets. It also tasks agencies to ensure tax and legal compliance by ticket scalpers. A joint report is due within 180 days outlining actions taken and recommending any necessary regulations or legislation. The order operates under existing law and does not create new legal rights.
Key Points
- 1Addresses scalping, bots, and price gouging in the live entertainment market, aiming to reduce egregious fees and improve fan access to tickets.
- 2Directs the Attorney General and the FTC to enforce competition laws in the concert/entertainment industry, including actions by venues and ticketing agents when consumer harms occur.
- 3Strengthens enforcement of the Better Online Tickets Sales Act (BOTS Act) and encourages collaboration with state attorneys general on implementation and information sharing.
- 4Requires the FTC to promote price transparency at all stages of the ticket-purchase process, including the secondary ticket market.
- 5Calls for evaluation and potential enforcement actions to curb unfair, deceptive, and anti-competitive conduct in the secondary ticketing market, and ensures scalpers’ tax compliance with the Internal Revenue Code and other laws.