Real Tickets, Real Fans Act could ban fake ticket listings, stop bots from buying up concert seats, and force resellers to show full prices upfront as lawmakers crack down on ticket scams.
Concert fans across North Carolina could be catching a break after lawmakers introduced a new bill aimed at cracking down on ticket scammers, shady resellers, and bots snatching up concert seats before real fans even get a chance.
A bipartisan group of senators has filed Senate Bill 849, also known as the “Real Tickets, Real Fans Act.”
The proposed law is being praised by musicians, concert venues, and arts organizations who say the current ticket resale market has turned into a complete mess — with fans paying outrageous prices for tickets that are either fake, misleading, or never delivered at all.
Supporters say the bill would give power back to actual fans instead of scalpers and resale companies cashing in off confusion.
WHAT THE “REAL TICKETS, REAL FANS ACT” WOULD CHANGE
Under the proposed legislation, North Carolina would introduce some of the toughest ticket resale protections. One of the biggest changes would ban speculative ticket sales, meaning resellers would no longer be allowed to list tickets they don’t actually own.
Fans across the country have complained for years about buying seats online only to later discover the seller never even had the tickets in the first place.
The bill would also outlaw ticket-buying bots — the software programs blamed for scooping up thousands of tickets within seconds of a concert going on sale.
For many fans, that’s been one of the biggest frustrations in modern ticket sales. One minute tickets are available at face value… and the next thing you know, they’re suddenly relisted online for five or ten times the price.
Lawmakers are also targeting deceptive resale websites that allegedly trick people into thinking they’re buying directly from official venues or artists.
If passed, resale listings would be required to clearly disclose they are not affiliated with the venue or original seller. They would also have to include direct links back to the official ticket provider.
The bill additionally bans misleading branding tactics, including the use of artist logos, venue names, or confusing website URLs that make consumers think they’re on an official box office page.
And total ticket pricing — including all mandatory fees — would have to be shown upfront before checkout. No more getting hit with surprise fees at the last second.
Seat locations would also have to be clearly displayed before purchase.
SCALPERS COULD FACE MASSIVE FINES
According to the proposal, violators could face civil penalties of up to $15,000 PER violation under North Carolina consumer protection laws.
