The NSW Parliament has passed amendments to the Fair Trading Act 1987 (NSW) (FT Act) to outlaw ticketing software or ‘bots’ from circumventing anti-scalping protections on ticketing websites.

Ticket scalping bots are computer programs that allow ticket scalpers to bypass ticket website protections, rapidly purchase tickets for popular events in large quantities, and then reselling the tickets at exorbitant prices.

In a statement, the NSW Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation, Matt Kean said:

“All too often I hear about tickets to sporting and entertainment events being resold online at hugely inflated prices. Ordinary fans are being pushed out of the market and taken for a ride by these shonky operators, so today we’re putting a stop to it”.

The bot amendments are part of larger reforms to the FT Act, including provisions to stop anyone reselling a ticket to a NSW event for more than the original sale price and the introduction of a cap for ticketing transaction costs at 10 per cent of the initial sale price.

The FT Act amendments are expected to take effect in 2018.

For more information, please contact ERA Legal.