The ticketing industry experienced a near-total collapse during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, with turnover falling by as much as 85%. Since then, the sector has undergone a strong reopening boom driven largely by pent-up consumer demand, particularly for large-scale and premium live events. However, ticket prices have risen significantly, prompting governments to consider regulatory measures aimed at protecting consumers.

Technology now plays a central role throughout the entire ticketing lifecycle. While it has improved accessibility and distribution, it has also contributed to higher prices and reduced transparency in the purchasing process.

One major development has been the rapid growth of digital platforms that enable customers to resell tickets to a broader marketplace. This expansion has led to increased resale values. Although established resale platforms already exist, social media has created less regulated channels where tickets can be sold through marketplaces, community groups, and fan pages. Proposed regulations primarily focus on formal resale platforms, even though informal social media resales may prove more difficult to monitor due to their reliance on direct communication and private transactions.

Dynamic pricing has become a particularly significant focus for regulatory authorities in the post-COVID environment, as it is widely regarded as a key driver of rising ticket prices. This pricing model allows ticket prices to fluctuate in real time based on demand, ticket availability, and consumer behaviour.

In response, new transparency requirements have been introduced through legislation such as the Digital Markets framework and the Competition and Consumer Act. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has already investigated several major ticketing companies. These investigations have led to the introduction of new pricing mechanisms requiring clearer disclosure of how and when ticket prices may change. Companies must now provide advance notice of potential price changes, improve transparency during online queue systems, and avoid misleading messages suggesting artificial urgency or that tickets are about to sell out.

Further government proposals aim to introduce legislation that would prohibit the resale of event tickets at prices exceeding the original purchase cost. These rules would apply across live entertainment sectors, including sports events, concerts, theatre performances, and comedy shows.

Under these proposals, tickets could not be resold above their original price. Service charges would also be capped to prevent sellers from bypassing the price cap. Resale platforms would be required to actively monitor and enforce compliance, and individuals could be restricted from selling more tickets than they originally purchased during the primary sale. Given that secondary market mark-ups frequently exceed 50%, significant concerns have been raised about the fairness of such practices for consumers.

These investigations form part of a broader post-COVID consumer protection agenda designed to ensure that ticketing companies operate with greater accountability. If successfully implemented, reforms relating to ticket pricing and dynamic pricing transparency may encourage similar regulatory shifts across other industries, including travel and retail.

While the ticketing industry has changed significantly since COVID-19, consumer expectations have also evolved. In particular, the demand for ticket refunds has shifted from being viewed as a flexible option to becoming a standard expectation.

The widespread event cancellations and disruptions between 2020 and 2022 heightened consumer awareness of the financial risks associated with “non-refundable” bookings. As a result, many customers now prioritise refund policies when making purchasing decisions.

Consumers increasingly expect the refund process to be seamless and efficient. High-friction processes, such as long call wait times or complex refund forms,can quickly erode trust in a brand. Consumer expectations are also shaped by evolving consumer protection laws, and customers generally expect valid refund claims to be processed quickly and transparently.

As a result, many consumers now choose brands based not only on price but also on the reliability and efficiency of their refund processes.