Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility Matzie introduces bill to protect consumers from ‘speculative ticketing’ <

Matzie introduces bill to protect consumers from ‘speculative ticketing’

Would curb deceptive practice in which resellers list event tickets they don’t yet have

HARRISBURG, Feb. 3 – State Rep. Rob Matzie today introduced legislation to prevent the deceptive practice of “speculative ticketing” – in which ticket sellers relist event tickets for sale before they have them in hand.

Matzie, who is chairman of the House majority caucus, said H.B. 463 would prohibit resellers from listing tickets unless they actually have possession of them and would allow consumers and venues to sue for violations.

“Consumers who pay for an item have the right to assume the seller actually has that item in hand to sell – and the same goes for tickets,” Matzie said. “Unfortunately, many sellers engage in speculative ticketing – relisting tickets they don’t have and betting that they can obtain them later. If that falls through, the disappointed consumer – at best – may get a refund. At worst, they lose their ticket money and any other expenses, like travel and lodging, they may have laid out.

“Consumers aren’t the only ones who feel the impact. The venue loses credibility in the eyes of the public, while area restaurants, parking garages and other local businesses lose expected revenue. It’s a practice that’s bad for consumers and bad for business.”

Matzie introduced an earlier version the bill last session, while he was majority chairman of the House Consumer Protection Committee. Despite House passage by an overwhelming bipartisan majority – and the support of Ticketmaster, LiveNation and the Pennsylvania attorney general – the bill stalled in a Senate committee in October 2023.

Matzie emphasized that his legislation is not intended to eliminate a market for secondary sellers, but to eliminate a predatory and deceptive practice that can leave consumers empty-handed.