UK Music presses government on ticket touts and EU touring

UK Music has urged the UK government to move ahead with promised reforms on secondary ticketing and post-Brexit touring, warning that delays could further damage the live music and events ecosystem. The organisation is calling on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to use the King’s Speech to honour manifesto commitments to curb ticket touting and reduce red tape for artists touring in the European Union.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, UK Music Chief Executive Tom Kiehl pressed for a price cap on tickets resold on secondary platforms and for measures to address ongoing touring barriers between the UK and EU member states. The intervention follows media reports suggesting the proposed ticketing reforms may not appear in the imminent legislative programme, despite being included in Labour’s General Election manifesto.

Background: secondary ticketing and EU touring challenges

The live music and events sector has long argued that unregulated secondary ticketing undermines consumer confidence and damages the reputation of concerts, festivals and live experiences. High mark-ups on resold tickets, limited transparency on seller identities, and the risk of fraud have drawn criticism from promoters, venues, artists and fan groups.

Several markets, including parts of the EU, have already moved to limit the resale of tickets above face value or to introduce stricter transparency rules. In the UK, calls for stronger regulation have intensified, particularly for high-demand tours and major festivals, where tickets can appear at multiples of their original price within minutes of going on sale.

At the same time, UK-based artists and crews have faced increased administrative and financial burdens when touring in the EU since the UK’s departure from the bloc. Sector bodies report ongoing complexity around visas, work permits, cabotage rules for touring vehicles, and the movement of equipment and merchandise. Smaller acts and emerging talent have been particularly affected, with many reporting that EU touring has become financially unviable.

Key points of UK Music’s call to government

UK Music’s latest intervention centres on two main areas: secondary ticketing controls and the wider framework for UK–EU touring. The organisation is urging the government to:

• Introduce a price cap on secondary ticket sales, limiting the amount tickets can be resold for above their original face value.
• Advance measures to tackle so-called “unscrupulous” ticket touting practices, which can include bulk buying, use of automated bots, and deliberately opaque resale listings.
• Prioritise policy changes that reduce administrative barriers and costs for UK artists, crew and suppliers touring in EU countries.
• Signal clear legislative intent in the King’s Speech to provide certainty for the live music and events sector.

The organisation frames these steps as a delivery on election pledges that had raised expectations among venues, promoters, artists and fans that the next government would take a tougher stance on secondary ticketing and work to ease post-Brexit touring friction.

Industry impact for live events and touring

For promoters, ticketing companies and venues, any move to cap resale prices could reshape how primary and secondary markets interact. A price ceiling on resold tickets would be a significant regulatory development, forcing secondary platforms to adjust business models and potentially encouraging more official resale options integrated into primary ticketing systems.

Event organisers have argued that stricter rules can help protect customers from overpaying or being misled by unofficial listings. However, there are concerns across the wider live events value chain about how caps would be implemented, enforced and monitored at scale, and what impact they might have on liquidity in the resale market.

On the touring side, any easing of EU barriers would have clear operational benefits. Reduced paperwork, simplified visa frameworks or more flexible transport rules could cut costs for production teams, trucking firms, technical suppliers and freelancers supporting international tours. For event technology vendors, staging companies and AV providers, a more predictable regulatory landscape would also help with cross-border planning and staffing.

Why this matters for event professionals and technology providers

For event professionals, the debate around ticket touting goes beyond the music sector. Conferences, sporting events, exhibitions and live entertainment alike rely on ticketing infrastructure that is perceived as fair and transparent. Measures such as price caps and stricter controls on resale could push organisers to revisit ticketing partnerships, inventory management, identity verification and anti-bot technologies.

Ticketing technology providers and platforms may face increased demand for tools that support dynamic but compliant pricing, secure digital ticketing, and official fan-to-fan resale under regulated conditions. Features like verified resale channels, capped mark-ups, and clear buyer protections could become standard expectations from organisers, particularly for high-profile or sold-out events.

On the touring front, barriers between the UK and EU impact not only artists but also the wider ecosystem of production suppliers, technical crews and service providers that underpin tours and festivals. Event tech companies supplying staging, lighting, sound, broadcast and hybrid event solutions often work across multiple territories. Any policy steps that reduce friction in moving people and equipment between the UK and EU would directly affect their cost base, scheduling and resource planning.

Hybrid and digital event platforms may also see indirect effects. If touring becomes more viable for a wider range of acts and organisations, it could influence the mix between in-person performances and livestreamed or hybrid formats. Conversely, if barriers remain high and smaller tours are curtailed, there may be renewed interest in virtual or remote alternatives to reach European audiences.

Conclusion

UK Music’s call for the government to follow through on manifesto promises around ticket touting and EU touring underscores the close relationship between public policy and the health of the live events sector. While specific legislative proposals have yet to be confirmed, the discussion places secondary ticketing practices and cross-border touring back on the agenda for policymakers.

For organisers, venues, and technology and ticketing providers, the eventual outcome will influence how they design sales strategies, protect audiences, and plan international operations. As the government sets out its legislative priorities, event stakeholders will be watching closely to see whether tighter regulation of secondary markets and steps to unblock EU touring routes form part of the next phase of support for the UK’s live and touring economy.