NSW Government's anti scalping legislation gets industry support

The NSW Government's plans to introduce new laws to protect consumers from ticket scalping and to erradicate ticket fraud when buying tickets to major sport, concert and entertainment events has been welcomed by major sporting codes, event organisers, ticketing companies and reselling facilitators.

Having consulted with a range of industry interests since September 2012, the new legislation will set clear rules so patrons and fans know the terms and conditions when either selling or purchasing a ticket on the secondary market.

Supporters of the legislation have include the Coalition of Major Professional and Participation Sports (COMPPS), the body representing the AFL, NRL, Cricket Australia, Australian Rugby Union, Football Federation Australia, FFA, Tennis Australia and Netball Australia.

COMPPS Chairman and Cricket Australia Chief Executive James Sutherland, said COMPPS supports these reforms because it empowers the individual sports to take action to stop ticket scalping by enabling sports to enforce their ticket conditions.

Sutherland explained "COMPPS members have long been united in the belief that ticket scalping is a scourge on the game that leaves everyday sports fans short changed (and we) support these proposed reforms because (they) empower the individual sports to take action to stop ticket scalping by enabling sports to enforce their ticket conditions.

"COMPPS believes that these reforms will introduce fairness and transparency to the ticket resale marketplace, which is sorely needed."

The Frontier Touring Company Managing Director Michael Gudinski said he was thrilled to see the introduction of these reforms, stating "for too long scalpers have been able to hide behind anonymity online. Music should empower and real artists do not want to see their fans ripped off."

Ticketek Australia Managing Director Cameron Hoy, said ticket scalping is an industry wide issue that erodes consumer confidence by denying fair access to tickets for true fans.

Hoy added "Ticketek welcomes the NSW Government reforms in this area and supports measures such as these to clamp down on this unsound practice."

Acknowledging the industry support for the legislation, NSW Minister for Fair Trading Anthony Roberts stated "I would like to thank Australia's major sporting codes, event organisers, ticketing companies and ticket reselling facilitators for their co-operation in setting these new rules that make the selling of tickets fair and transparent."

12th July 2013 - MINISTERS TAKE STEPS TO STRENGTHEN THE INTEGRITY OF AUSTRALIAN SPORT

7th February 2013 - DRUGS AND CRIME REPORT ROCKS AUSTRALIAN SPORT

8th November 2012 - NEW UNIT TO PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF AUSTRALIA SPORT

19th September 2012 - NSW GOVERNMENT TO GET TOUGH ON TICKET SCALPERS?

2nd July 2010 - MOSHTIX LAUNCHES TICKET SCALPING SURVEY