UK Anti-Trust Regulator Takes Stubhub Over Consumer Disclosure Provisions

UK anti-trust regulators the Competition and Markets Authority is once again scrutinizing ticket resale marketplace Stubhub over concerns that the secondary market service failed to comply with the terms of a previous agreement with the CMA.

On Wednesday, the CMA expressed “concern” that Stubhub was failing to comply with issues that include:

Failing to adequately warn people that tickets may not get them into an event and providing misleading information about ticket availability. The CMA also expressed concern that Stubhub was targeting UK consumers with tickets for events listed on overseas versions of their websites, which may not comply with UK law and for failing to ensure that the full address of ticket brokers was displayed on the site.

The CMA also took issue with Stubhub’s allegedly failing to ensure that customers know exactly where the seats they are purchasing are located in a venue.

“StubHub had previously committed to make important changes to the information on its site, so anyone buying a ticket would know what they were getting before parting with their money. It’s therefore unacceptable that we have now found these concerns,” said CMA Chief Executive Andrea Coscelli.

“We have demanded swift action to resolve these problems and are pleased that StubHub has said it will make changes in response. We will closely monitor the firm’s efforts and, if it does not quickly implement changes that satisfy us, we will take further action – potentially through the courts,” she continued.

According to the CMA, Stubhub has already promised to make updates to their website to address concerns, but the CMA warned that if the changes are insufficient, or not implemented quickly enough, they will consider seeking redress against StubHub in court.

Keeping the CMA happy seems like a valuable play for Stubhub as the anti-trust regulator is currently reviewing a potential sale of the ticketing platform to rival secondary market service Viagogo.

Stubhub did not immediately respond to a request for comment.