Maryland governor signs bill banning the sale of speculative tickets

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on Thursday signed into law a bill that aims to protect consumers from ticket scalpers and resellers.

The legislation is the latest to combat unfair ticketing practices, an issue that has gained significant traction since the sale of Taylor Swift’s Eras tour tickets in 2022. A Minnesota bill named after Swift was signed into law on Wednesday, requiring ticket price transparency and prohibiting resellers from offering the same ticket more than once.

The bill was first introduced in January by state Sens. Dawn Gile, Brian Feldman, Pamela Beidle and Arthur Ellis.

In a phone interview, Gile said that the bill will create a "fairer landscape" for consumers and prevent them from getting "tricked into paying more than what they should be paying."

"There was a lot of attention on this bill, and I think it's because people are just so outraged by how expensive tickets are," Gile said.

Resellers will be prohibited from selling speculative tickets, which are tickets that are not currently in the seller’s possession.

Resellers will also be required to disclose the total price of a ticket, including taxes and fees. They must also issue refunds to ticket purchasers if a ticket turns out to be counterfeit, if the event is canceled or if the ticket does not match what was advertised.

The law goes into effect on July 1. Maryland will become the first state to fine resellers and platforms that offer speculative tickets.

Moore said in a statement that the law will “help lower costs” for Maryland residents hoping to enjoy live events in the state’s venues.

“Resale markets have put rapidly rising costs on consumers and this will help our state protect people from unnecessary price hikes,” Moore said.

Similar legislation has been proposed on a federal level but has yet to move past committee.

The Fans First Act, introduced in December by a bipartisan group of senators, also seeks to ban the sale of speculative tickets and prohibit other deceptive ticketing practices.

Last month, over 250 artists, including Billie Eilish, Green Day and Chappell Roan, signed a letter in support of the legislation.

“We are joining together to say that the current system is broken: predatory resellers and secondary platforms engage in deceptive ticketing practices to inflate ticket prices and deprive fans of the chance to see their favorite artists at a fair price," the letter read.