B.C. fights ticket scalpers with consumer protection law, eliminates bots

VICTORIA – British Columbia's government has introduced legislation that seeks to offer more protections for people who buy live-event tickets online or at the box office.

Solicitor General Mike Farnworth says the Ticket Sales Act will prevent mass-buying software that is able to purchase large amounts of tickets for live events, then resell them at inflated prices.

Farnworth says the proposed changes will also regulate how tickets to live cultural, recreational and sporting events are bought and sold in B.C.

He says the law would require clear disclosure of ticket prices, refund guarantees by secondary sellers and declarations by those sellers that they are not the original ticket provider.

The New Democrat government said in its throne speech in February that people in B.C. are frustrated companies can buy large numbers of tickets and sell them at inflated prices.

The government launched a public consultation last year about the current ticket buying and selling process, which received 6,500 responses.