Music

Ontario MPP introduces bill to fight scalper bots

by Richard Howard

It’s no secret that scalpers’ ability to buy huge numbers of concert tickets using bots has been frustrating fans for some time now, not to mention the exorbitant prices they sell those tickets for on the secondary market.

But when scalpers pillaged the Tragically Hip’s Man Machine Poem tour, the public at large took notice, and there was an outcry for change. While government officials have promised to investigate, Kingston and the Islands MPP Sophie Kiwala is one of the first government officials actually taking a tangible step towards a solution by introducing a bill aimed at curtailing the scalpers’ practices in Ontario.

The private member’s bill seeks to introduce an act which would outlaw the use of software, currently used by ticket-selling websites, that bypasses security measures limiting the number of tickets a person can purchase at one time. In addition, it would be required that resold tickets have their original price clearly displayed. Kiwala explained her aspirations for the bill in a press release.

“I am hopeful that it will result in fair access for anyone looking to purchase tickets to cultural events and entertainment in our province. Furthermore, it is my intention that this bill builds on the previous amendments to the Ticket Speculation Act, 1990, and will result in greater consumer protection measures that will assure that Ontarians buying resale tickets are acutely aware of the difference between the resale price and the original purchase price.”

The initial reading of and debate on the bill has already begun, and Kiwala hopes the Conservative Opposition will immediately support it, increasing the chances that the legislation is passed quickly. She’ll also be meeting with Music Canada Live, a national live music advocacy group that has expressed interest in the matter, and expressed a further hope that other’s in the industry with follow suit.