Italian Guardia di Finanza uncovers a €30m undeclared income scheme linked to illegal ticket resale between Italy and Switzerland.

Manchester United have banned 685 accounts for ticket touting and sanctioned or warned 464 more, with The 1958 planning a protest before Sunday's derby.

The UK music industry has expressed disappointment following the announcement of a draft bill addressing ticket touting in the King’s Speech. Just last week, Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged to eliminate ticket touts 'as soon as possible', but the introduction of the Draft Ticket Tout Ban Bill as a draft, rather than primary legislation, has been criticised for delaying action. Draft bills are subject to consultation and scrutiny before formal parliamentary introduction, meaning that final legislation could take years to implement. The bill aims to make reselling tickets above their original cost illegal, cap service fees, restrict excessive ticket purchases, impose obligations on resale platforms, and empower the Competition and Markets Authority to enforce penalties. Industry figures, including UK Music CEO Tom Kiehl and Ticketmaster UK’s Sarah Slater, emphasised that while the measures are welcome, consultation delays could allow ticket touts to continue exploiting fans. Advocacy groups such as FanFair Alliance and Which? also voiced concerns, noting that the decision contradicts the Prime Minister’s recent promises and risks continued financial loss for music fans. The issue was first included in Labour’s 2024 manifesto and has been under government consideration since January 2025, yet major artists and management remain vocal in urging timely and effective legislative action. Overall, the music industry calls for a clear timeline and decisive action rather than prolonged consultation periods.

A Fine Gael TD from Offaly, John Clendennen, has raised serious concerns regarding the ongoing practice of ticket touting in Ireland ahead of this weekend’s Six Nations rugby match between Ireland and Scotland at the Aviva Stadium. Despite the enforcement of the Sale of Tickets (Cultural, Entertainment, Recreational and Sporting Events) Act of 2021, which makes it illegal to resell tickets above their face value, Clendennen pointed out that resale websites continue to list tickets at highly inflated prices—some exceeding €3,000. Originally sold for as little as €60, with premium seats starting around €185, some tickets are now being offered between €217 and more than €3,000, sparking outrage among fans and lawmakers alike. Clendennen labeled this phenomenon as 'blatant price gouging' and questioned whether existing legislation is being properly enforced. He argued that the purpose of the 2021 Act was to ensure fair access for regular fans rather than allowing opportunistic resellers to profit from high-demand events. The TD called for stronger enforcement measures and suggested that additional resources might be required for the Gardaí or the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to curb illegal resales. He also urged event organizers, including the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU), to take responsibility by tightening ticket distribution controls. According to Clendennen, fans should be able to attend national sporting events without being exploited by unfair resale practices, reminding authorities that the law must serve its intended purpose to protect consumers and restore fairness in the ticketing market.

Selling tickets above face value will result in penalties and possible jail time.