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When prices soar and fans suffer

Ticket resale, also known as scalping or touting, is the art of flipping event tickets for prices that can make your wallet weep. Scalpers take advantage of high demand and limited supply, especially when popular events sell out faster than you can refresh the page. This shady side hustle is rampant in the world of concerts and sports, where tickets magically skyrocket in value—as if they’re attending the event themselves!

Gone are the days when scalpers stood in line to snag tickets. Today, they’ve mastered the digital game. With automated bots that can snatch up tickets in bulk faster than any human finger can click, scalpers have evolved into virtual predators. These golden passes are then sold for heart-stopping prices, leaving fans with an impossible choice: pay up or miss out.

The FOMO factor: Why fans still buy

So why do people willingly buy from scalpers even when the prices feel like daylight robbery? It all boils down to FOMO—the Fear of Missing Out. When fans are desperate to experience a live event, emotions run high, and rational thinking takes a backseat. Scalpers know this game all too well and charge prices that could make you rethink your life decisions. It’s like waving a carrot in front of a donkey—except the donkey really, really loves live music.

In short, scalpers have turned the ticket game into a psychological duel, knowing that true fans will eventually cave in, even if it feels like paying for air.

‘Scalping Gone Wild: Concerts, Cricket, and Coldplay’

One of the wildest scalping episodes in recent memory unfolded with the British band Coldplay’s upcoming concert in Mumbai, January 2025. Over 1.3 crore eager fans flooded BookMyShow, all competing for a mere 1.5 lakh tickets. The result? A complete sell-out in 30 minutes, leaving fans as heartbroken as if they’d missed the last train home. But the kicker? Tickets originally priced between Rs 2,000 and Rs 35,000 soon surfaced on resale platforms like Viagogo at prices that could buy you a small vacation.

It’s not just Coldplay fans feeling the burn. Fans of Punjabi sensation Diljit Dosanjh were also left scrambling for tickets, with scalpers grabbing seats faster than you could say “Balle Balle.” Meanwhile, during the 2023 IPL season, Chennai police arrested several individuals for reselling match tickets at astronomical prices.

Globally, the scalping scene is equally notorious. A 2023 “Bad Bot Report” revealed that a staggering 83.4% of traffic to entertainment websites in 2022 came from bots, with nearly one-third being “advanced bad bots.” These stealthy bots are designed to bypass security measures and scoop up tickets faster than fans can log in.

There’s even a theory that some scalpers might be in cahoots with official ticket sellers, rigging the system so bots always come first. If true, this isn’t just shady—it could be outright cyber fraud. Authorities need to dig deeper into these dealings before the fans are entirely fleeced.

The Legal Labyrinth: Mandeep Singh Case (2015)

In India, the legal situation around scalping is murky at best. A key case in this regard is Mandeep Singh vs. UT of Chandigarh (2015). Mandeep was caught reselling cricket match tickets at inflated prices and charged with cheating under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code. But the Punjab and Haryana High Court acquitted him, noting that since both buyer and seller were aware of the deal, no fraud had taken place.

This case highlights a major loophole in Indian law. Unless ticket sellers make reselling illegal through specific terms and conditions, scalping remains a legal grey area. It’s a case of “buyer beware”—or in this context, “buyer be ready to pay double!”

Until the law catches up, scalpers will continue playing their game, leaving fans stuck between a rock and an inflated price tag.

Scalping around the globe: Where demand meets deception

Scalping isn’t just an Indian problem—it’s a global phenomenon, with some of the most notorious cases happening overseas:

2008 Beijing Olympics: Over 500 tickets were purchased using stolen identities, leading to the arrest of 134 scalpers. It was a scalper’s dream—until the law cracked down.

Paradise Papers Scandal (2017): Canadian Julien Lavallée made headlines when the Paradise Papers revealed his bot-powered ticket empire. He bought 310 tickets for Adele’s concerts and resold them for a jaw-dropping $52,000.

These cases underscore the extent of the scalping epidemic and the massive profits involved.

Global solutions: When law strikes back

Different countries have taken varied approaches to curb scalping, with some more successful than others:
United States: The BOTS Act of 2016 prohibits using bots to snatch up tickets, but there’s no federal law outright banning ticket resale. States like New York and Georgia require resellers to get licensed, turning scalping into a quasi-legal business.

Australia: In New South Wales, it’s illegal to resell tickets for more than 10% above their original price. This regulation has turned scalping into a high-risk gamble.

European Union: In 2019, the EU banned the use of bots for ticket purchases after mounting pressure from artists and event organizers.

United Kingdom: Since 2018, using bots to buy tickets is illegal, and in some regions, even buying from a scalper can get you fined.

As legal systems around the world evolve, scalpers are forced to stay one step ahead—until the final checkmate.

The Indian legal tightrope: Between law and loopholes

In India, ticket scalping walks a precarious tightrope, balanced between contract law and loopholes. Under the Indian Contract Act of 1872, ticket resellers can only be held accountable if the terms and conditions of the ticket seller (e.g., BookMyShow) expressly prohibit resale. If no such rule exists, scalpers get off scot-free.

Without clearly marked non-transferable tickets or printed price tags, the legal framework leaves too much room for interpretation. It’s a classic case of “buyer beware”—with no real teeth in the law to protect the fans.

‘Conclusion: Scalpers beware, change is coming’

Ticket scalping is a beast that blends legal ambiguity, ethical quandaries, and consumer frustration. While countries like the US and the UK are starting to lock down scalpers, India’s legal framework still lags behind. The digital age has only made things easier for scalpers to manipulate markets, leaving fans frustrated and wallets empty.

As Asia’s live entertainment industry booms, the need for stronger regulations grows louder. Policymakers must walk the fine line between market freedom and protecting the consumer. If left unchecked, scalpers will continue to thrive, and the only “performance” fans will be paying for is the one happening in their bank accounts.

It’s time for India to give scalping the boot. After all, the price of fairness should never be inflated.



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Disclaimer

Views expressed above are the author’s own.



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Online Editor - Valley Vision

Welcome to Valley Vision News, where Er Ahmad Junaid leads our team in delivering real news in both English and Urdu. We're your go-to source for independent coverage, focusing on stories from around the globe, with a spotlight on India and Jammu and Kashmir. From breaking news to in-depth analysis, we've got you covered. Join us on our journey to stay informed and empowered. Join with us at Valley Vision News.

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