Virginia HB 825: Ticket resale limitations; review of event ticket marketplace, etc.

Bill Text

2026 SESSION

INTRODUCED

26100337D

HOUSE BILL NO. 825

Offered January 14, 2026

Prefiled January 13, 2026

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 59.1-466.5 and 59.1-466.6 of the Code of Virginia, relating to ticket resale limitations; requirements; review of event ticket marketplace by the Office of the Attorney General Consumer Protection Section.

—————

Patron—Hayes

—————

Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce

—————

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§ 59.1-466.5 and 59.1-466.6 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 59.1-466.5. Definitions.

As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:

"Event" means any professional concert, live entertainment event, professional sporting or athletic event, or professional theatrical production open to the public for which tickets are ordinarily sold.

"Internet ticketing platform" means a marketplace or exchange that enables consumers to purchase and, sell, or resell tickets to events.

"Operator" means a person or subsidiary thereof that owns, operates, or controls a place of entertainment.

"Primary ticket provider" means a provider of ticketing services, or an agent of such provider, that engages in the original sale of tickets for an event.

"Purchaser" means an individual who purchases a ticket to an event.

"Resale" means the sale of a ticket other than the original sale of a ticket by a primary ticket provider. "Resale" includes sale by any means, including in person, by telephone, by mail, by email, by facsimile, or through a website or other electronic means.

"Reseller" means a person that sells or offers to sell tickets for resale.

"Rights holder" means any person or entity that has the initial ownership rights to sell a ticket to an event for which tickets for entry by the public are required and does not include a primary ticket provider unless the primary ticket provider is also the rights holder.

"Speculative ticket" means a ticket that is not in the actual or constructive possession of a reseller at the time of sale, advertisement, or listing. "Speculative ticket" includes a ticket sold by a reseller that, at the time of resale, is not in physical possession of the reseller, is not owned by the reseller, or is not under contract to be transferred to the reseller.

"URL" means the Uniform Resource Locator associated with an online website.

§ 59.1-466.6. Ticket resale limitations; prohibition; exception.

A. No person that issues tickets for admission to an event shall issue any such ticket solely through a delivery method that substantially prevents the purchaser of the ticket from lawfully reselling the ticket on the Internet ticketing platform of the ticket purchaser's choice.

B. No person shall be discriminated against or denied admission to an event solely on the basis that the person resold a ticket, or purchased a resold ticket, on a specific Internet ticketing platform.

C. Each primary ticket provider, internet ticketing platform, or reseller operating in the Commonwealth shall comply with the following requirements:

1. The listing for a ticket and each step of a transaction to purchase a ticket shall (i) clearly and conspicuously disclose the total price of the ticket, including all fees and taxes other than shipping costs that are not determinable at a step in the transaction; (ii) provide an itemized listing of all charges that comprise the total price of the ticket, including all fees and taxes; and (iii) identify the seat number and zone or section of the ticket, to the extent applicable to the seat and venue.

2. The total price of a ticket under subdivision 1 may be increased in a noninitial step of a transaction by the amount of reasonable shipping costs for physically delivered tickets. The total shipping costs allowed under this subsection may vary with the purchaser's location relative to the shipment's location of origin and the delivery method selected by the purchaser.

3. The total price of the ticket, including all fees, taxes, and shipping costs shall be clearly and conspicuously disclosed prior to final purchase of the ticket.

D. No reseller shall sell or offer to sell speculative tickets unless the reseller, clearly and conspicuously, discloses to a prospective purchaser at the outset of the transaction:

1. That the tickets are speculative tickets, and the reseller is not in possession of the tickets;

2. That the reseller is making an offer to procure the tickets for the prospective purchaser;

3. An approximate date on which the tickets will be delivered to the purchaser;

4. The name or a description of the event for which the tickets will permit entry; and

5. The zone or section number of the tickets, to the extent applicable to the venue.

A reseller shall refund to a purchaser any consideration or deposit paid for tickets sold under this subsection if the reseller fails to obtain the tickets (i) within 24 hours of the approximate