Justice Department, FTC Request Public Comment on Unfair Ticketing Practices

The Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission kicked off a 60-day public inquiry Wednesday aimed at rooting out unfair and anticompetitive behavior in the live event ticketing business.

The joint effort, announced one day after the agencies posted a Federal Register notice, invites fans, artists, venues, consumer advocates and other stakeholders to submit comments through July 7. The agencies say the responses will help shape a forthcoming report to the White House that could recommend new rules—or even legislation—governing how tickets are sold and resold in the United States.

The move stems from President Donald Trump’s March 31 executive order directing federal enforcers to “ensure that competition laws are appropriately enforced in the concert and entertainment industry” and to step up enforcement of the Better Online Tickets Sales (BOTS) Act. TicketNews covered the order when it was issued in late March.

“Competitive live entertainment markets should deliver value to artists and fans alike,” Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater, who heads the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, said in a statement. “We will continue to closely examine this market and look for opportunities where vigorous enforcement of the antitrust laws can lead to increased competition that makes tickets more affordable for fans while offering fairer compensation for artists.”

FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson framed the inquiry as a chance for consumers to be heard on pricing and availability issues that have plagued the market for years. “Many Americans feel like they are being priced out of live entertainment by scalpers, bots, and other unfair and deceptive practices,” he said. “Now their voices are being heard.”

What the agencies are seeking

The Justice Department and FTC specifically want information on:

• Unfair or deceptive practices that inflate prices or restrict consumer choice in both primary and secondary ticket markets.
• The competitive impact of existing federal and state laws, including transfer restrictions embedded in mobile tickets.
• Potential regulatory or legislative solutions that could foster transparency, limit deceptive fees, curb automated bot purchases and encourage open resale.

Comments must be filed via Regulations.gov under docket ATR-2025-0002. Once submitted, they will be made public.

Broader antitrust scrutiny

Wednesday’s announcement comes amid the Justice Department and 40 state attorneys general continuing to pursue an antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment and its Ticketmaster subsidiary, alleging the companies used exclusive venue contracts and other tactics to monopolize ticketing and live events. The agencies did not reference that litigation directly, but the inquiry clearly indicates federal interest in the broader market remains high.

Next steps

At the close of the comment period, the Justice Department and FTC will draft a joint report—coordinating with the Treasury Department—that could outline new enforcement priorities or propose federal standards for the industry. Any rulemaking would follow normal notice-and-comment procedures.

For fans and industry players eager for reform, the next two months offer a formal avenue to weigh in. Whether the effort leads to tougher oversight or new rules, one thing is clear: Washington’s spotlight on how tickets reach consumers isn’t dimming anytime soon.