Ticket Resellers Sue DC Over Markup Caps; Feds Target $120M Scheme

Major ticket resale companies have filed a lawsuit against Washington D.C. challenging a new law that imposes a 10% cap on markups for ticket scalping. This legal challenge comes as federal authorities, including the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission, have also taken action against a San Diego-based ticket broker. The federal complaint alleges the company engaged in a $120 million scheme, violating the Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act by using numerous accounts to acquire millions of tickets for resale at inflated prices, impacting popular artists like Beyoncé and Pitbull.

These developments highlight a growing regulatory focus on the practices within the ticket resale market, aiming to protect consumers from excessive pricing and unfair acquisition tactics. The lawsuit against D.C. suggests a broader industry pushback against legislative efforts to control secondary market pricing, while the federal action demonstrates ongoing enforcement against alleged illegal ticket brokering activities. Meanwhile, separate consumer protection concerns are emerging regarding access to public land ownership data, with the Land Registry paywall remaining in place despite promises of increased transparency.