Government mulls plan to crack down on ticket touting, which would outlaw the practice at two publicly owned concert venues
- The government-run Hong Kong Coliseum and Queen Elizabeth Stadium are not currently covered by existing anti-scalping law
- Planned law could also force concert organisers to lower the proportion of tickets used for special allocations
Ticket scalping at two popular concert venues could be criminalised and the arrangement of special ticket allocations reviewed under a government plan to crack down on touting.
But part of the proposal released on Tuesday drew fire from the showbiz industry, which warned that changing internal subscription arrangements, by which tickets are allocated to business partners and subscribers, could undermine not only their interests but those of consumers too.
In a paper submitted to lawmakers on Tuesday, the Home Affairs Bureau said it did not object to criminalising touting at the government-managed Hong Kong Coliseum in Hung Hom and the Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Wan Chai, in light of “public concerns”.
The two venues and other premises managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department are not covered by the existing anti-scalping law, which forbids ticket resales at private venues at higher than face value.
But the existing law carries only a maximum fine of HK$2,000. The paper did not mention toughening the penalty.
An outcry over scalping erupted this summer after tickets for several popular shows were snapped up quickly and resold for up to 20 times the original price, despite fans having queued for days in advance at box offices.