Ontario has potentially issued its inaugural fine against a ticket resale platform under the provincial anti-scalping law, as resellers seek to offload tickets for upcoming events like the Toronto International Film Festival.
According to the province’s consumer alert website, SeatGeek Canada was fined $25,000 in late August, marking the first instance of a ticket seller facing financial penalties under the ticket resale law implemented in April. The fine breakdown includes $10,000 for selling a ticket above its face value, $5,000 for failing to disclose the original ticket purchase price, and another $10,000 for allegedly facilitating a transaction without proof of the original price.
Cristian Buzo Tingarov, a spokesperson for Ontario Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery Stephen Crawford, declined to provide details regarding the event associated with the fines and potential future enforcement actions.
“All ticket sellers in Ontario are required to adhere to legislation prohibiting ticket resale above face value,” Tingarov emphasized. “Violators could face fines up to $250,000 and public disclosure.”
Regarding the fines, SeatGeek’s Vice President of Government Affairs Joe Freeman did not confirm whether the company intends to pay or contest the penalties. While SeatGeek has notified third-party sellers on its platform about the law, Freeman mentioned the company is seeking guidance from the province on compliance procedures.
Freeman explained the challenge of confirming the original ticket value, especially as many sellers lack access to this information, such as season ticket holders. This limitation hampers independent platforms like SeatGeek in verifying the ticket purchase price.
StubHub Canada echoed similar sentiments when addressing inquiries about Toronto International Film Festival listings on its platform. The company argued that without data from the original ticket purchase platform, confirming prices and complying with the law remain problematic.
TIFF listings appearing above fan-reported prices during member sales also surfaced on Vivid Seats, with a premiere spot for the film “Fjord” listed at $933 and a ticket for the debut of “Rapinoe” priced at $483.
Vivid Seats spokesperson Julia Young disputed claims of non-compliance, stating the company is actively engaging with Ontario officials to ensure adherence to the province’s ticket resale regulations. Young emphasized the need for clear guidance and industry collaboration to facilitate effective implementation of the legislation.
In recent months, Ontario initiated inspections of 27 ticket resale websites, issuing warnings of potential enforcement actions for non-compliance with the anti-scalping law. StubHub was subsequently added to the consumer alert list for alleged non-compliance, while Vivid Seats indicated progress in addressing identified areas of concern raised by the province.
The ongoing dialogue between ticket resale platforms and Ontario authorities underscores the evolving landscape of ticket sales regulation in the province.