NY Bill Aims to Ban Concert Ticket Resale Markups – Following California Proposal

The push to rein in the often-opaque world of concert ticket resale is gaining momentum, with lawmakers in both California and New York proposing legislation aimed at protecting consumers from exorbitant markups. Just yesterday, Friday, February 6th, New York State Senator James Skoufis introduced an amendment to the Affordable Concert Act that would effectively ban ticket resale markups altogether, going even further than a proposal unveiled in California the same week.

Senator Skoufis’ amendment builds upon the existing Affordable Concert Act, initially introduced in May 2025. That bill already sought to address issues within the secondary ticket market by establishing licensing requirements for resellers and outlawing “speculative ticketing”—the practice of listing tickets for sale before they are actually in the reseller’s possession. The new amendment adds a complete prohibition on reselling tickets for New York live music events at a price exceeding face value, plus standard fees charged by the primary ticketing source.

“New Yorkers are sick and tired of the nightmarish process it takes to simply go see their favorite artist,” Skoufis stated in a social media post. “My bill, The Affordable Concert Act, caps all resale concert tickets at face value, among many other much-needed reforms. It’s time for state government to step up and protect fans.” The legislation notably excludes sporting events from its scope, focusing solely on live music performances.

The move in New York follows closely on the heels of a similar proposal in California. On Thursday, February 5th, California Assemblyman Matt Haney introduced a bill that would cap concert ticket resale prices at 10% above face value. Like New York, California is already considering legislation to curb speculative ticketing practices. The California proposal, described as a “spot bill” requiring further legal refinement, represents a more moderate approach than the outright ban proposed in New York.

Currently, Maine is the only U.S. State with a law regulating ticket resale prices, having implemented a 10% cap in 2025. However, the recent activity in New York and California signals a growing national awareness of the issues surrounding ticket affordability, and accessibility. Other states, including Washington, have also introduced similar legislative proposals, indicating a broader trend towards increased regulation of the secondary ticket market.

The debate isn’t confined to state legislatures. Even on the national stage, the issue of ticket resale has garnered attention. During his testimony before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on January 28th, musician Kid Rock advocated for nationwide resale price caps. “I’m a capitalist, I’m a deregulation guy, but there’s no other way around this but to put a price cap on this,” Rock told the committee, a surprising stance from an artist often associated with free-market principles.

The United States isn’t alone in grappling with the challenges of ticket resale. Numerous European countries and Australia already have resale price caps in place. The United Kingdom announced plans for a complete ban on resale markups last November, further demonstrating a global shift towards greater consumer protection in the live event ticketing sector.

The proposed legislation in New York and California, and the broader national conversation surrounding ticket resale, reflect a growing frustration among fans who often find themselves priced out of attending concerts due to inflated secondary market prices. While the specific approaches differ – a complete ban in New York versus a capped markup in California – both proposals aim to address the same core issue: ensuring that fans have fair access to tickets at reasonable prices. The coming months will be crucial as these bills move through the legislative process, potentially reshaping the landscape of the concert ticket market for years to come.