Bill imposing fines on ticket scalpers advances in Senate
A BILL seeking to prohibit hoarding and reselling of admission tickets, imposing fines of up to P500,000 on violators, has secured committee approval in the Senate.
Under Senate Bill No. 1989, lawmakers sought to penalize ticket scalpers with a P100,000 fine on the first offense, P250,000 on the second offense, and P500,000 on the third offense.
“Aside from protecting consumer rights, this act will help the artists and the government through better direct revenues, stronger fanbases, and a more stable events industry,” Senator Francis Pancratius N. Pangilinan, who co-authored the bill, said in a mix of English and Filipino during his sponsorship speech.
Mr. Pangilinan added that ticket scalping is not a mere business but a systematic exploitation.
Talks of filing an anti-ticket scalping bill emerged in late 2024 following Filipino-American artist Olivia Rodrigo’s concert which sold tickets for P1,500 for all tiers. However, ticket scalpers resold the tickets from P10,000 to P15,000.
Acts punishable under the bill, which entails penalties ranging from P100,000 to P500,000 and six months to three years of imprisonment, include unauthorized selling and distribution of tickets and usage of automated bots, fake accounts, and other fraudulent methods to bypass ticketing systems.
The bill also provided that individuals found aiding and abetting the violations under the measure will be fined with P50,000 to P250,000 and may face six months to one year of imprisonment.
Ticketing companies and services will also face penalties, should they fail to disseminate anti-ticket scalping warnings within their premises and online platforms. — Kaela Patricia B. Gabriel
