SPRINGFIELD – Two measures championed by State Senator Steve Stadelman to protect consumers and promote a fairer, more transparent ticket resale marketplace were signed into law Thursday, banning the practice of speculative ticket sales in Illinois and helping ensure fairer access to event tickets by cracking down on automated bots and deceptive online resale practices.
“When consumers purchase a ticket, they should have confidence that the seller actually possesses it and can deliver it,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford). “House Bill 4984 protects fans from deceptive practices, promotes transparency in the resale marketplace and helps ensure Illinois consumers are treated fairly.”
Stadelman’s House Bill 4984 targets speculative ticketing, a practice in which brokers list tickets they do not yet own, often before tickets have even gone on sale to the public. Because brokers are betting they will be able to obtain tickets later, speculative listings can create a false sense of scarcity that drives up prices for tickets that sellers ultimately cannot provide, leaving fans without valid admission to the events they paid to attend. The new law prohibits ticket resellers from selling, listing or advertising tickets unless they have actual or constructive possession of the tickets at the time they are offered for sale.
“Speculative ticket sales shift all of the risk onto consumers while rewarding misleading business practices,” said Stadelman. “By requiring sellers to actually possess the tickets they offer for sale, this law increases accountability, discourages artificial price inflation and gives fans greater confidence when purchasing tickets.”
As artificial intelligence and automated purchasing tools become more prevalent in the ticket marketplace, consumers increasingly face competition from bots that bypass ticket limits and resale websites that appear to be officially affiliated with artists, venues or event organizers. While federal law addresses some of these concerns, gaps in enforcement and transparency have continued to create challenges for consumers, leading Stadelman to champion Senate Bill 318 – the Prohibition on Bots Purchasing Tickets Act.
This law will prohibit the use of bots, multiple accounts or email addresses to circumvent posted ticket purchasing limits during online ticket sales. It also requires an event facility to report any known violations of the law to the Attorney General within a reasonable period of time after discovery of the violation.
Together, the laws are designed to promote fairness, improve transparency and protect Illinois consumers from practices that can drive up prices and create confusion in the ticket-buying process.
“Fans should not have to compete against sophisticated software or navigate deceptive websites just to attend a live event,” said Stadelman. “By establishing stronger safeguards and accountability in the ticket marketplace, we’re leveling the playing field and giving consumers greater confidence when purchasing tickets.”
House Bill 4984 takes effect immediately. Senate Bill 318 will take effect Jan. 1.
