D.C. Cracks Down on Ticket Resellers: Council Passes Bill to Protect Fans From Scammers, Inflated Prices
Categoria: Musica
The RESALE Act would cap resale prices, ban speculative ticketing, require ticket resellers to acquire licenses and more.
Por Billboard | 15/07/2026
The DC Council in Washington, D.C., has passed one of the most comprehensive ticketing regulation bills in the country. On Tuesday (July 15), the council voted unanimously to give final approval to The RESALE Act, which includes a host of consumer protections — from a resale cap of 10% on concert tickets to requiring ticket resellers to acquire a license if they advertise more than 50 tickets in a year. Championed by councilmember Charles Allen , the RESALE Act includes several measures that have been proposed or enacted in various states across the U.S. This includes the 10% resale cap, ticket price transparency for fans — so buyers can see the full price of tickets from the beginning of the sale — and the banning of speculative ticket sales and advertising (speculative tickets are tickets that the reseller does not actually possess). Related Music-Related Legislation Before Congress Right Now: Full List of Bills (UPDATING) DJ Quik Says His Son 'Made a Mistake' Following Murder Conviction, Pleads With Fans to Stop Asking About It Naoshi Fujikura of Universal Music Japan on Japan's Unique Superfan Culture & Global Ambitions: Billboard Global Power Players Interview As of June 2026, 20 states across the U.S. have introduced similar legislation on resale and speculative ticketing. But D.C.’s coalition of advocates for the RESALE Act — including the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) and the Fix the Tix Coalition, which is made up of more than 30 live music and event industry organizations and local promoters and venues — lobbied for additional laws not typically seen in similar bills around the country. Audrey Fix Schaefer , NIVA’s board president and director of communications for I.M.P., 9:30 Club and The Anthem in D.C., tells Billboard she hopes the RESALE Act will “become model legislation throughout the land.” The RESALE Act will also require any ticket reseller that advertises 50 or more tickets a year to register with the district and obtain a license. According to advocates of the bill, requiring this will increase oversight and accountability in the secondary marketplace, as well as inform buyers if they’re purchasing from a professional reseller or a casual fan. When tickets are being resold on the secondary market, the seller will also be obligated to provide the original price of the primary ticket for purchasers to view. “It is pretty phenomenal that the city thought this was important enough that they’re investing in a new section of the licensing office to” handle the licensing registrations, Fix Schaefer says. “They put it in the budget.” The RESALE Act will also prohibit surveillance pricing, which prevents ticket sellers from using consumers’ personal data to manipulate or personalize prices. The bill ensures the District has the authority and resources necessary to hold bad actors accountable. Councilmember Allen, who authored the RESALE Act, said in a statement, “People