US politicians hoping to pass legislation that would stop automated bots from being used to stockpile tickets are to lead a hearing on Capitol Hill next week.
Sen. Jerry Moran, the Republican who is the sponsor of a bill designed to curtail scalpers, is set to convene the meeting.
“Scalpers have long been driving up ticket prices and harming consumers, but their methods are becoming increasingly sophisticated,” Moran said in a statement. “It’s hard enough to get tickets to high-profile events without the added struggle of having to battle bots online.”
The bill has bipartisan support, with Democrat Sen. Charles Schumer as co-sponsor. No details have yet been released as to which witnesses will be called, however the legislation has the support of leading figures from within the ticketing sector.
“Scalpers siphon off nearly $5bn (£3.7bn / €4.4bn) in concert ticket revenue every year, hurting people across the music ecosystem — from fans and artists, to their local concert venues and promoters,” Katie Peters, the public policy chief at Pandora-Ticketfly, said in a statement. “We applaud Senator Moran for introducing this legislation to make sure those who create and take part in amazing events are properly rewarded.”
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