If you’re thinking about flipping tickets as a side hustle (or a real business), the first question that usually pops up is:
“Is reselling tickets actually legal?”
The short answer:
Yes – in most places, reselling tickets for profit is legal and extremely common, especially in the United States.
The longer answer:
It’s legal as long as you follow the rules where you live, where the event happens, and on the platforms you use. Laws exist to target fraud, bots, and abusive pricing – not the average person or small business who buys real tickets and resells them transparently.
This article will walk you through how the law treats ticket resale in the US and around the world, and where to look up the rules for your specific state or country.
The Short Answer: Is Reselling Tickets Legal?
In most major live-event markets, ticket resale is a normal, regulated part of the industry.
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United States: Ticket resale is generally legal and common practice across the country. Federal law focuses on banning bots and protecting consumers, while each state sets its own rules about where, how, and sometimes how much you can resell for. (Ticket Resale Laws for each US State)
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Worldwide: Many countries allow resale at market prices, often with rules around transparency and consumer protection (for example, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, and Finland). (Ticket Resale Laws for each Country)
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Exceptions: A minority of countries either ban for-profit resale entirely for certain events (like sports) or limit resale above face value (for example, Ireland for “designated” events, Poland, parts of Brazil for sports tickets, Turkey, Japan, etc.).
So the real question usually isn’t “Is ticket resale legal at all?”
It’s “What are the specific rules in my state or country?”
That’s exactly why we built:
Those two resources pull together primary legal sources and official government links so you’re not guessing.
How Ticket Resale Laws Work in the United States
Let’s start with the market most Ticket Flipping members sell into: the US.
Federal law: The BOTS Act
At the federal level, the main law you’ll hear about is the Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act of 2016.
The BOTS Act basically says:
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You can’t use software (“bots”) to get around ticket purchase limits or security on primary sites like Ticketmaster.
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You can’t sell tickets you obtained by using that kind of software.
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The FTC and Department of Justice can enforce penalties if you do.
Notice what it does not say: it does not ban buying a normal ticket and reselling it for profit. It targets how some brokers acquire tickets (illegally) – not the existence of a secondary market.
State laws: Where the real variation happens
The real details live at the state level. Ticket Flipping’s Ticket Resale Laws by U.S. State resource summarizes each state using official statutes and legislative sources. Ticket Flipping
Generally, states fall into a few buckets:
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No statewide price cap & resale clearly allowed
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Many states either repealed old “scalping” laws or never had them. Resale is legal as long as you follow general consumer-protection rules and any local city ordinances.
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Distance-from-venue rules
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Some states let you charge whatever you want online, but restrict selling above face value within a certain distance of the stadium/arena (200–1500+ feet is common).
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Price caps or special rules for certain events
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A few states cap markups or apply stricter rules to things like college sports or charity events. Maine and Massachusetts, for example, still have older laws limiting how far above face you can go, at least for certain kinds of sellers.
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Licensing for “ticket brokers”
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Some states (like New York, New Jersey, Georgia, Nevada) require brokers to hold a license, follow refund rules, and keep records. The laws usually focus on professional high-volume sellers, not someone moving a couple of extra tickets.
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On top of this, cities and venues can add their own rules – for example, banning sidewalk scalping directly outside an arena while leaving online selling untouched.
The big picture:
If you’re using normal, legal purchase methods and reselling through established platforms, ticket investing is a perfectly legitimate business model in most US states. You just need to know your state’s flavor of the rules.
How Other Countries Treat Ticket Resale
Outside the US, the pattern is similar: most markets recognize a secondary ticket industry and regulate how you resell, not whether you can ever resell.
Ticket Flipping’s Ticket Resale Laws by Country (Global Summary) pulls together the main laws and government sources for major markets around the world. Ticket Flipping
Countries where resale is widely allowed
A lot of countries allow market-price resale with relatively light restrictions, including:
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Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, Finland – No general bans on reselling tickets; prices are mostly driven by supply and demand. Consumer agencies focus on transparency, refund rights, and avoiding fraud.
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Canada (Ontario, British Columbia) – Resale above face value is allowed as long as you provide clear information and strong refund guarantees. Both provinces also ban using bots to bypass ticket limits.
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Many EU countries – Instead of banning resale, they implement EU-wide rules against tickets bought with bots and give member states the option to regulate prices if abuse becomes a problem.
Result: There is a healthy, visible secondary market across Europe, Canada, and other regions, often using platforms like Viagogo, StubHub, SeatGeek, and local exchanges.
Countries that heavily limit for-profit resale
Then you have countries that either ban reselling above face value for certain events or tackle “habitual” scalping directly, such as:
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Ireland – Can designate certain events/venues where selling above the original price is a criminal offence.
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France, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Turkey, Japan, Brazil (for sports) – In different ways, these countries restrict or criminalize professional or above-face-value resale, especially for sports and big cultural events.
Even there, it’s not always black-and-white. You might be allowed to sell at face value, or only through authorised channels, or only as an occasional private individual.
The UK: Tightening, not ignoring, resale
The UK currently allows secondary selling but regulates it:
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Secondary ticketing platforms must show seat location, face value, and restrictions.
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Using bots to hoover up tickets above venue limits is a criminal offence.
Recently, the UK government has signalled plans to go even further and ban resale for profit, particularly cracking down on touts and inflated prices, though those proposals still need to be fully implemented into law. (The Times+1)
Why Ticket Resale Is Generally Accepted
If governments are worried about bots and scams, why allow resale at all?
Because a functioning secondary market actually solves real consumer problems:
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People’s plans change – they need a way to sell unused tickets.
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Fans who really want to go are often willing to pay more on a transparent, regulated marketplace instead of dealing with random street scalpers.
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It keeps seats from going empty at high-demand events.
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It’s now a multi-billion-dollar industry and recognized as a normal part of the live-event ecosystem. (Wikipedia+1)
So most laws focus on:
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Blocking bots and mass abuse
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Stopping fraud and counterfeit tickets
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Making prices and terms transparent
…not on banning legitimate resellers who play by the rules.
Common Rules You’ll See as a Ticket Reseller
Whether you’re in the US or abroad, the best way to think about legality is:
“What specific rules apply to how I buy and resell?”
Here are the main categories:
1. Anti-bot and automation bans
Laws like the US BOTS Act or the EU Omnibus Directive make it illegal to use software to bypass purchase limits or security, and to profit from tickets bought that way.
2. Price caps or “face value only” rules
Some places cap markups (e.g., a small percentage above face), and others require face-value resale for certain “designated” events or sports matches.
3. Distance-from-venue restrictions
Very common in the US: you can sell online at any price, but can’t stand within a certain radius of the venue and scalp above face.
4. Licensing and business rules for brokers
Some states and countries require a licence or registration once you’re operating as a “business,” plus record-keeping and refund guarantees.
5. Platform and organiser terms
Ticketmaster, AXS, venues, and teams can set their own rules on which tickets may be transferred or resold and where. In practice, if Ticketmaster doesn’t allow resale for an event, it usually shows that clearly at checkout.
What Actually Gets People in Trouble (and How to Avoid It)
When you see headlines about “ticket resellers being sued,” it’s almost never because they simply bought tickets and sold them for more.
It’s usually because they:
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Used bots or fake accounts to blow through purchase limits
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Sold speculative tickets they didn’t actually have
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Misled buyers or sold counterfeits
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Ignored clear local laws or venue bans
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Failed to honour refunds when events were cancelled
As a legitimate broker, you can avoid these landmines by:
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Only buying from official, reputable sources (Ticketmaster, AXS, teams, authorised agents).
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Using mobile transfer and verified resale whenever possible.
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Never listing a ticket you don’t control yet.
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Honouring refund obligations and being transparent about seat location and restrictions.
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Respecting caps and no-resale events where the law or organiser says so.
This is exactly how professional brokers build long-term businesses without drama.
How to Check If Ticket Resale Is Legal Where You Are
Here’s a simple way to do your homework before going all-in:
1. Start with the Ticket Flipping legal resources
U.S. sellers: Go to Ticket Resale Laws by U.S. State (ticketflipping.com/resources/ticket-resale-laws-by-us-state/). It summarizes each state’s rules and links to the actual statute or government source.
International sellers: Use Ticket Resale Laws by Country (Global Summary) (ticketflipping.com/resources/ticket-resale-laws-by-country/). It compiles the key law or guidance for each major market, plus links to original government pages.
2. Check city/venue rules
Search for local ordinances or arena policies about “ticket scalping,” “resale,” or “secondary ticketing.” This is where distance-from-venue rules usually live.
3. Read platform policies
Ticketmaster, StubHub, SeatGeek, Vivid Seats, Lysted, etc. all have resale terms. Make sure the type of ticket you’re buying can be legally transferred and sold. (Ticketmaster Terms and Conditions)
4. If you’re scaling big, talk to a professional
Once you’re flipping serious volume, it’s smart to get advice on business structure, taxes, and licensing where required.
The Bottom Line: Ticket Resale Is a Real Business, Not a Legal Grey Zone
If you’ve ever worried that ticket flipping is “shady” or “barely legal,” it’s worth zooming out:
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There are entire laws, government reports, and industry guidelines built around regulating ticket resale – because regulators acknowledge it’s a real, ongoing business ecosystem.
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In most US states and many countries, you are allowed to buy tickets and resell them for profit, as long as you respect the rules on bots, pricing caps (where they exist), and transparency.
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Only a smaller group of countries or specific event categories have outright bans on for-profit resale – and our global laws guide flags those for you.
So yes: reselling tickets can absolutely be a legal, legitimate way to build a side income or full-time business when you treat it like a real business and stay informed.
Ready to Learn the Legal and Profitable Side of Ticket Flipping?
If you want to go deeper than just “Is this legal?” and learn:
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How to pick the right events
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What tools pros use to track demand
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How to manage risk while scaling up
…that’s exactly what we teach inside Ticket Flipping.
👉 Start with our FREE Ticket Seller Training to see how brokers in our community legally buy, resell, and manage tickets every week while staying on the right side of the rules.