D.C. Council approves the nation's toughest ticket resale, gouging bill
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
The DC Council gave unanimous approval to the RESALE Act on Tuesday, a law that caps ticket resale markups and sets new rules for online ticket sellers. The law limits resale prices for concerts, theater, comedy shows, and festivals to 10 percent above face value.
Beyond the price cap, the law bans speculative ticket sales, so resellers can no longer list tickets they don't own. It requires sellers to show the full ticket price, including fees, before checkout. Anyone who resells 50 or more tickets a year must register as a licensed business with the District. The law also bans surveillance pricing, which uses a buyer's personal data to set an individual price.
Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen introduced the bill in April 2025. It cleared its first vote on June 30, when Allen and Councilmember Christina Henderson restored the 10 percent cap after a committee had removed it. The Council also passed an amendment from Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto that struck language allowing the mayor to regulate fees on primary ticket sales, the original sales made by venues and platforms like Ticketmaster. Mayor Muriel Bowser had raised concerns about that provision in a letter to the Council, writing that it could push shows and artists to book elsewhere.
Venue operators supported the bill during Council hearings. I.M.P., which runs the 9:30 Club and the Anthem, told the Council that the average ticket at the 9:30 Club sells for $37, while resale prices for the same shows on StubHub can top $2,100. Audrey Fix Schaefer, a spokesperson for I.M.P., said venues often deal with angry customers holding fraudulent tickets bought through resale sites.
The Ticket Policy Forum, a trade group representing StubHub, SeatGeek, and other resale platforms, opposed the bill. The group argued the price cap will push ticket sales onto unregulated channels, including social media, and increase fraud. It also said the rule benefits Ticketmaster by making it harder for independent resale marketplaces to compete.
Allen pointed to a July 10 investigation by CBC News that found StubHub's chief executive holds a stake in a fund that has resold tickets on the platform he runs. StubHub and the executive face a proposed class action lawsuit filed July 13 over those ties. The company says the relationships are disclosed in its public securities filings.
The RESALE Act still needs the mayor's signature and a 30-day congressional review period required for all D.C. laws. If it clears those steps, the rules take effect January 1, 2027.