United States of America: Introduced Bill to improve the enforcement and consumer protection regarding ticket sales (Mitigating Automated Internet Networks for Event Ticketing Act/SB 3191)

On 1 November 2023, the Bill to improve the enforcement and consumer protection regarding ticket sales (Mitigating Automated Internet Networks for Event Ticketing Act/SB 3191) was introduced in the US Senate. The Bill aims to strengthen enforcement of the Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act of 2016 and improve consumer protection in the online ticketing marketplace. The Bill requires ticket issuers to establish website policies and safeguards appropriate to the size and complexity of the ticket issuer and the sensitivity of the data. These safeguards must be assessed regularly and adjusted. Ticket issuers will also be required to report incidents within 30 days. Additionally, a consumer complaint website will be implemented. Furthermore, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will publish guidelines for ticket issuers on complying with the MAIN Event Ticketing Act. The FTC will have exclusive authority to commence or defend any civil action and to supervise the litigation. The penalty for a violation of the Act will be over USD 10'000 for each day the violation occurs and more than USD 1'000 per violation.