2025 in Review: Ticket Resale Industry Highlights & Learnings
2025 was a pivotal year for the ticket resale ecosystem
Brokers and resellers navigated evolving policy landscapes, intensified regulatory scrutiny, high-profile legal actions, marketplace shifts, and ongoing conversations about fairness and access for fans.
Here’s a look back at the most important trends, developments, and lessons from the year.
Regulatory & Legal Shifts
Crackdown on Bots and Enforcement
One of the biggest stories in 2025 was increased focus on ticket bots and automated purchasing tools. In March, a new executive order pushed federal agencies, including the FTC, to renew efforts under the BOTS Act — targeting unfair ticket purchasing practices and pushing for stronger enforcement.
Moreover, the Federal Trade Commission pursued actions against resellers who allegedly used unlawful tactics to circumvent purchase limits on high-demand shows — signaling that regulators were watching enforcement more closely than ever.
In Michigan, lawmakers passed legislation to ban scalping bots statewide, imposing fines for violations — part of a broader movement in several states to restrict automated ticket purchases.
Major Antitrust & Enforcement Actions
FTC vs. Live Nation & Ticketmaster
A landmark 2025 development was the FTC’s antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster, which accused the ticketing giant of unfair practices, including undisclosed fees and actions that allegedly coordinated with brokers to exceed purchase limits.
This lawsuit brought heightened scrutiny to how major primary ticket sellers operate — especially around transparency and how ticket limits are enforced — and it may shape secondary market practices for years.
Policy Conversations Around Secondary Resale
Price Transparency & Regulatory Proposals
Across 2025, regulators and consumer advocates increased pressure for greater price transparency and fair access.
Although not directly tied to a specific new federal law, longstanding proposals like requiring clear fee disclosures on tickets continued to be discussed in political and legislative circles.
Global policymakers are also rethinking resale rules: in the United Kingdom, government proposals would make resale of tickets above face value illegal to protect fans — a massive shift in resale regulation that could reshape global norms around secondary ticketing.
Marketplace & Industry Dynamics
StubHub’s IPO Push
2025 saw major strategic moves from secondary ticket marketplaces.
StubHub publicly pursued an IPO as it looked to expand beyond traditional resale into primary ticket issuance — signaling how resale platforms are evolving their business models.
Ticketmaster Policy Changes
In parallel, Ticketmaster moved to tighten controls on reseller accounts — including requiring unique identity verification and reducing multiple accounts for a single buyer — in part as a response to regulatory scrutiny and pressure to limit unfair purchasing practices.
Ongoing Debates Around Market Behavior
Public and industry conversations around ticket pricing, bots, and fairness continued to dominate media narratives in 2025. Critics argued that platforms profited from inflated secondary prices and lack of enforcement against unfair practices, reinforcing calls for stronger accountability and transparency.
In high-profile enforcement news earlier in the year, the FTC also sued a ticket reseller in Maryland for allegedly bypassing purchase limits on major concerts, underscoring that enforcement isn’t limited to policies — it’s also about pursuing real cases in court
Market Trends & Broker Lessons from 2025
While specific events and legal actions grabbed headlines, brokers in 2025 also learned several practical, operational lessons:
Data Beats Assumptions
Increasingly, brokers leaned on verified sales data (not just listed prices) to make buying and pricing decisions — especially as marketplaces and regulators pushed for transparency.
Diversification Remains Critical
Selling tickets across multiple channels — not just one marketplace — helped brokers mitigate platform risk and capture demand from broader buyer segments.
Regulatory Awareness Matters
Being aware of changing laws and platform rules became not just good practice, but essential. Knowing how bots, scalpers, and automated tools are regulated helped brokers adjust compliance strategies.
Fan-First Conversations Shape Market Perceptions
Public sentiment and policy debates around “fair access” continued to influence how secondary markets are perceived and legislated — reminding brokers that industry reputation and consumer trust can indirectly affect long-term viability.
