Unscrupulous individuals aiming to acquire event tickets illicitly are turning to automated software, or bots, for assistance.
In the world of live events, the use of software bots by ticket touts (scalpers) for mass ticket purchasing has become a significant global issue. These automated programs are designed to bypass ticketing systems and buy large quantities of tickets rapidly, making it difficult for genuine fans to purchase tickets at face value, especially for high-demand events such as major sports games or concerts.
To combat this, various technological and regulatory measures are in place globally, though the effectiveness and approach vary by country.
In the United States, the BOTS Act of 2016 specifically outlawed the use of automated computer programs in ticket purchasing to reduce scalping. Event platforms like Eventbrite deploy advanced CAPTCHA and machine learning systems to detect and block bulk purchases or bot activity in real time, aiming to protect genuine buyers.
Some regions implement real-name registration systems, requiring tickets to be tied to purchasers’ identities, which has shown success in countries like Taiwan by reducing scalped tickets significantly.
Regarding Germany and large sporting events, while the search results do not provide detailed statistics or regulations exclusively for Germany, it is known that Germany has been addressing ticket scalping through a combination of legal frameworks and ticketing practices. German law prohibits professional scalping under certain conditions, and events typically implement strict purchasing limits and identity verification to prevent mass buying by scalpers.
Large sporting events in Germany, like Bundesliga matches, often employ digital ticketing with barcode or QR code scanning and personalized tickets to limit resale opportunities and track ticket origin. There are efforts at the European level to harmonize anti-scalping laws, and German authorities often collaborate with ticket platforms to detect suspicious bulk purchases and block resales above face value.
Eventim, the world's second-largest ticket vendor, is a publicly traded company that operates the Fansale platform. In response to issues like gouging, abuse, and fraud on secondary market platforms, Eventim decided to build its own platform to combat these problems. Fansale operates at cost, and the scale of ticket scalping on the Fansale platform remains unknown.
Ticket touts attempt to buy tickets to resell them at high prices on unauthorized secondary markets, a practice known as "ticket scalping". This was evident during the Taylor Swift incident, where all unauthorized resales were reversed. Last year, Eventim temporarily suspended the resale of Taylor Swift tickets following a hacker attack.
While the scale of ticket scalping is unknown, it is clear that ticket tout software is prevalent and taken seriously internationally. Ticket touting is particularly prevalent at large sporting events like the Olympics. As with many countries, Germany faces ongoing challenges requiring evolving multi-layered strategies to combat ticket scalping effectively.
- Cybersecurity concerns have surfaced in the fight against ticket scalping, as hackers may exploit unauthorized secondary markets to sell stolen tickets, as seen in the temporary suspension of Taylor Swift's ticket resale on Eventim following a hacker attack.
- The sports-analysis field has been integrating technology to counter ticket scalping, with Eventim's Fansale platform employing machine learning systems and CAPTCHA for real-time detection and prevention of bulk purchases or bot activity, aiming to protect genuine sports fans.
