Ontario has recently taken action against a ticket reselling platform, potentially issuing its first fine under the province’s anti-scalping law. SeatGeek Canada was fined $25,000 in late August, marking a significant development as resellers seek to offload tickets for events like the Toronto International Film Festival.
The fine imposed on SeatGeek included penalties of $10,000 for selling a ticket above face value, $5,000 for failing to disclose the original purchase price, and another $10,000 for facilitating a transaction without proof of the original price. A spokesperson for Ontario’s Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery, Stephen Crawford, declined to provide details on the event linked to the fines or if more fines will be issued.
SeatGeek’s Vice President of Government Affairs, Joe Freeman, did not confirm whether the company intends to pay the fines or challenge them. While SeatGeek has informed third-party sellers about the law, they are seeking guidance from the province on compliance procedures.
StubHub Canada also raised similar concerns regarding ticket listings for the Toronto International Film Festival, emphasizing challenges in verifying original ticket values due to the lack of pricing information on certain tickets and the potential for altered receipts by resellers.
Fans reported seeing premium screenings listed above face value, with StubHub indicating the difficulty in confirming original prices without data from the initial purchase platform. The company expressed commitment to resolving issues with the government to ensure compliance with the law.
Vivid Seats also faced scrutiny for listings exceeding reported fan prices for TIFF events, but the company asserted ongoing efforts to comply with Ontario’s ticket resale regulations through dialogue with government officials.
The province previously notified 27 ticket resale websites, including StubHub and Vivid Seats, of potential inspections for compliance with the anti-scalping law. Subsequent actions may be taken against non-compliant businesses, as the province aims to enforce adherence to the legislation.
