Touts who use automated software known as “bots” to harvest multiple tickets for concerts by artists such as Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran at the expense of genuine fans will face unlimited fines from Thursday.
Music industry groups hailed the new law, which comes amid a wider effort to crack down on “secondary ticketing”, where touts use websites such as StubHub and Viagogo to resell seats at in-demand events for vast mark-ups.
But a leading security and ticketing expert warned that the most prolific touts would still be able to get their hands on tickets using tried-and-tested methods.
Digital and creative industries minister Margot James said banning bots would boost efforts by artists including Arctic Monkeys and Iron Maiden to battle “unfair practices”.
“Too often [fans] have been priced out of the market due to unscrupulous touts buying up huge batches of tickets and selling them on at ridiculous prices,” she said.
“From today I am pleased to say that we have successfully banned the bots.”
The government announced plans to outlaw the use of automated software last year, amid mounting anger at the effect of widespread ticket touting on fans and the music industry.
But security and ticketing expert Reg Walker warned that some touts would find ways to bypass the legislation or fall back on alternative methods of laying their hands on multiple tickets.
“Bots are just one tool in the touts’ box,” he said. “There are changes in technology that mean there may be loopholes in the legislation that they can exploit.”
He said some were using adapted versions of web browsers that perform the same function as bots but may not be covered by the legislation.
Walker also pointed to evidence that major touts who enjoy close relationships with ticket resale companies use multiple credit cards to bypass limits on ticket purchases.
But Walker said the legislation was still a welcome weapon in efforts to curb the power of touts, while music industry figures welcomed the legislation.
Annabella Coldrick, chief executive of the Music Managers’ Forum, said the change would “help increase the chances of tickets getting into the hands of fans”.
Music industry anti-tout group Fan Fair Alliance said the new law should be accompanied by “strong and swift enforcement” of existing laws.
The Competition and Markets Authority and National Trading Standards are both in the midst of separate investigations into touts and secondary ticketing platforms.