BookMyShow owner Big Tree Entertainment and partner Vista Entertainment have been cleared of using anti-competitive practices by India’s regulator.
Justticket, a rival online movie ticketing business in the Indian market, filed the complaint, which was considered by the Competition Commission of India (CCI).
The complaint was originally filed against New Zealand-based firm, Vista Entertainment Solutions that provides box office ticketing solutions, including its Vista software. Big Tree Entertainment is the only distributor for Vista box office software in India. Big Tree Entertainment charges a convenience fee on the movie tickets sold through BookMyShow.com.
Justticket alleged that both companies abused their leading positions in the market by denying it access to online movie ticketing portals and box office ticketing solutions in India.
The Deccan Chronicle reports that five CCI members, including its chairman Devender Kumar Sikri, dismissed the complaint, while one member requested a detailed probe into the allegations. Sikri and four members ruled there is no “prima facie” case of Big Tree violating competition norms.
“In the absence of abuse, the commission also does not find the need to get into the aspect of defining the relevant market and assessing the dominance of the opposite parties (Big Tree Entertainment and Vista Entertainment Solutions),” the CCI’s order said.
In 2016, BookMyShow sold over 100 million tickets and expects to double the growth in the coming year while it strongly focuses upon regional markets. It also secured a major funding boost, led by US-based growth fund Stripes Group, towards the end of 2016.
Recently, the BookMyShow platform has also purchased a controlling interest in events registration and ticketing startup Townscript. The company also acquired Hyderabad-based MastiTickets in an all-cash deal.
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