Committee publication · Correspondence · 25 November 2025
Letter from Rt Hon Ian Murray MP, Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Arts, and Kate Dearden MP, Minister for Employment Rights and Consumer Protection, regarding Putting Fans First: A consultation on the resale of live events tickets, 19 November 2025
From: Culture, Media and Sport Committee
Inquiry: The work of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Summary
The Ministers for Creative Industries and Employment Rights confirm government plans to implement ticket resale reforms through a price cap (limited to original cost plus fees), resale fee caps, volume limits, and platform compliance obligations. The government will enforce these via the CMA under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, and expects the ticketing industry to improve pricing transparency without new legislation.
Key findings
- Resale price cap will prohibit reselling tickets above original cost including unavoidable fees.
- Separate cap on resale service fees to prevent undermining of price controls while maintaining platform margins.
- Resale volume limits will make it unlawful to resell more tickets than entitled to purchase.
- Enforcement via CMA with penalties up to 10% of global turnover under Part 3 of Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.
- Government will not introduce new legislation on pricing practices; expects industry to comply with existing CMA guidance and findings on dynamic pricing.
Government position
The government accepts the need for ticket resale reform and will implement resale price caps, fee caps, and volume limits through the consumer enforcement regime. On pricing transparency, the government rejects new legislation, instead relying on industry compliance with existing CMA guidance and enforcement powers. The government positions this as delivering manifesto commitments to strengthen consumer protections.
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Rt Hon Ian Murray MP, Kate Dearden MP, Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Department for Business and Trade, Ticketmaster
Notable line
“A resale price cap which prohibits someone from reselling a ticket for more than the original ticket cost, inclusive of any unavoidable fees incurred during the original purchase.”
Key Quotes
“The government responses set out how we will deliver our manifesto commitment to strengthen consumer protections on the ticket resale market, and our further commitment that fans should always have clear and transparent pricing information when purchasing tickets for live events.”
“A resale price cap which prohibits someone from reselling a ticket for more than the original ticket cost, inclusive of any unavoidable fees incurred during the original purchase.”
“This regime provides for tough financial penalties of up to 10% of global turnover, and expedited powers for the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to tackle certain consumer law breaches directly.”
“The outcome of the CMA's investigation into Ticketmaster sends a clear signal to all ticketing platforms that fans must have access to clear and timely pricing information with accurate ticket descriptions …”
“Based on current evidence and given that price transparency is already enshrined in consumer law, the government does not intend to bring forward any new legislative proposals on pricing practices.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗