Dillon says ticket resale websites taking Irish punters 'to the cleaners'

MAYO TD Alan Dillon has accused ticket selling websites of 'exploiting' people looking to attend Irish sports fixtures and major music events by selling tickets at hugely inflated prices. 

Deputy Dillon has called for ticket tout legislation to be updated to deal with the practice, citing the example of a Taylor Swift concert ticket which appeared for €4,454 on one website.

The Fine Gael TD claimed that nobody has been prosecuted for selling tickets at inflated prices far above face value despite the passing of the Sale of Tickets (Cultural, Entertainment, Recreational and Sporting Events) Act two years ago (parliamentary question below).

The Act protects consumer rights and promotes fairer access to event tickets in the resale market by prohibiting the sale, or advertising for sale, of tickets for price exceeding the original sale price for designated events or events taking place in designated venues. 

People can be fined up to €100,000 or imprisoned for up to two years if convicted for selling tickets for live events above face value.

Deputy Dillon said that some wishing to attend Irish Rugby World Cup matches in France, Electric Picnic in September, Niall Horan in the 3Arena or Taylor Swift at the Aviva stadium next year are being offered tickets to buy at 'grossly inflated prices'.

"It is immoral and completely wrong that Irish people are still being exploited in such a fashion by multinational websites who have so far escaped any sanctions despite a crackdown in other countries," Deputy Dillon stated. 

"Sports fans and music lovers are being targeted and exploited by the operators of websites who extort them to pay far above the face value price to secure tickets. These websites need to be taken on by Government. Online ticket touts are taking us to the cleaners," he said.

Deputy Dillon added that Ireland-South Africa tickets for the rugby world cup clash in Stade de France, Paris on September 23 are being offered by eticketing.co for between €589 and €1,967. The original price on these tickets was between €75 and €300.

He also cited the example of one seller on donedeal.ie is looking for €800 for two weekend camping tickets to Electric Picnic, which originally sold for €218 each. 

Similarly, a ticket for the Ireland-Scotland Rugby World Cup clash in Stade de France, Paris on October 7 was offered by viagogo.com for between €428 and €639. The original price on these tickets was between €45 and €216.

Deputy Dillon said viagogo.com was fined €23.5m last year in Italy for breaking laws.

“Prior to this, the same website was fined €3.7m in 2020 for a similar offence. Italy has introduced tough laws on the resale of tickets. Only sellers, previously authorised by a show’s promoter, can sell tickets in the country. Individual ticket buyers can then re-sell tickets for shows they cannot attend, but only at face value or less.

“If a website acts as a facilitator to those who want to exploit others with above face value tickets, they need to be taken on and tackled. Facilitating exploitation is as much an offence as those seeking to gain from the inflated and unfair resale.

“If we need to expand the legislation, let’s do that but this system where online touting flourishes cannot continue,” Deputy Dillon concluded.