WA cracks down on scalping

Scalpers will be prevented from reselling Grand Final tickets at sky-high prices after tough new restrictions on the practice passed state parliament.

The Bill, which was passed on Tuesday, means concert and event tickets can only be resold at 10 per cent above their original price.

The new measures will be in place before general admission tickets for the 2021 AFL Grand Final go on sale, with the historic Optus Stadium event being held on September 25.

Individuals and companies found breaking the new laws will be fined $20,000 and $100,000, respectively, while those found using software ‘bots’ to purchase tickets will face even harsher penalties.

The maximum penalty under the new laws is $500,000.

The measures were an election commitment from the Labor government, which is urging consumers not to purchase tickets from unauthorised sellers, in particular those based overseas. It warned tickets purchased from third-party sites could be rejected at venues.

Commerce Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said the new measures would require ticket resellers to identify the location of seats or viewing spots.

“The measures target the ‘secondary market’ in ticket sales that has grown over the years and support and strengthen the measures being adopted by venues and authorised ticket sellers to stop the impact of the unscrupulous behaviour of online scalpers,” she said.

“Genuine buyers will be given a greater opportunity to secure a ticket at or near original prices to see their favourite performer or attend a major sporting event, such as the 2021 AFL Grand Final.”

Sport Minister Tony Buti said the new laws ensured a ‘fans-first’ approach for all events held in WA.

“The state government, through VenuesWest, is a prolific host of major sporting and entertainment events and we are thrilled this law will maximise opportunities for fans to access these through reasonably priced tickets,” he said.