FAC welcomes government plans to ban ticket touting & protect fans
The Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) welcomes the Government’s announcement that it will become illegal to resell tickets above their original price. This significant policy shift represents a major step toward protecting fans from exploitative secondary market practices and restoring fairness to the UK’s live music economy.
For years, artists across genres and career stages have spoken out about the impact of industrial-scale ticket touting. High-profile FAC members and emerging artists alike have repeatedly highlighted how inflated resale prices undermine their efforts to keep shows accessible and affordable for genuine fans. Many artists—particularly those touring at grassroots and mid-level venues—have seen their audiences priced out of the very gigs they work hard to make inclusive.
The problems caused by mass touting have been well documented: automated bots and bulk-buying operations frequently sweep up large portions of ticket allocations within seconds of release, only for those tickets to reappear on secondary platforms at multiple times their face value. Artists have long described how this practice damages fan trust, fuels public frustration, and diverts revenue away from the live music ecosystem—impacting both performers and the venues that support them.
The Government’s new measures respond directly to these concerns. Under the updated rules, tickets may no longer be resold above face value (including unavoidable fees), service charges on resale platforms will be capped, platforms will be responsible for enforcing compliance, and individuals will be restricted from reselling more tickets than they originally purchased. Government analysis suggests these reforms could save fans approximately £112 million per year, with average resale prices expected to fall by around £37 per ticket.
For the many artists who have advocated for a fairer system—including those who have partnered with the FAC on campaigns, public statements, and fan education initiatives—this announcement marks a meaningful victory. These changes will help ensure that tickets reach the people they are intended for: fans who want to attend live shows and support the artists they love.
The FAC views this development as a major advancement toward a more transparent, equitable, and artist-centred ticketing environment across the UK.
David Martin, CEO of the Featured Artists Coalition:
“Online ticket touting needlessly costs UK music fans hundreds of millions of pounds each year. For far too long, this money has literally been extracted from the UK's live music sector, and deposited into the pockets of law-breaking touts and the offshore resale platforms they operate from. It's why today's announcement is so significant, and why it is so strongly supported by the Featured Artists Coalition. We believe that a price cap is the only way to curb the excesses and exploitation of the secondary ticketing market. It must be introduced without delay.”
Gus Unger-Hamliton, Alt-J, & FAC Director:
"Last week, our band joined dozens of artists and music organisations urging the Prime Minister to clamp down on ticket touting through the introduction of a cap on ticket resale prices. Although we're pleased the Government has listened to this collective call, it is now imperative that they put these measures into place as quickly as possible."
Adam Webb, Campaign Manager, FanFair Alliance:
“This is fantastic news for music fans. It's taken years of FanFair campaigning to get to this point, but having listened to the concerns of artists, campaigners and the wider music sector, the Government now has a clear and pragmatic plan in place to tackle the scourge of exploitative online ticket touting.
However, there is an urgency to deliver. Every day that passes before new legislation comes into effect, will see more fans ripped off by touts. For that reason alone, it is vital a cap on ticket resale prices is introduced and enforced at the earliest possible opportunity.”
The FAC is proud to stand alongside artists, managers, campaigners, and industry groups who have long advocated for this change. Today’s announcement represents a critical step toward a ticketing market that serves genuine fans rather than opportunistic resellers. We now urge the government to implement these measures swiftly and robustly, ensuring that live music remains accessible, fair, and enjoyable for all.