Illicit Ticket Vendors Seek to Acquire Tickets Using Automated Software
In the world of live entertainment, ticket scalping has long been a contentious issue, particularly at large sporting events and concerts featuring popular artists like Ed Sheeran. CTS Eventim, the world's second-largest ticket provider, is one company taking a stand against this practice.
Klaus-Peter Schulenberg, CEO of Eventim, has highlighted past exploitation, abuse, and fraud on unauthorized secondary market platforms. He emphasizes that Eventim is committed to combating these issues.
Since 2007, Eventim has operated the Fansale platform for ticket resale. The company's primary strategies to combat ticket scalping involve strict purchase limits per person and technical controls against bots and duplicate accounts. For instance, during major concert sales like Ed Sheeran’s 2025 tour, Eventim enforces a maximum ticket purchase limit (6 tickets per person) and cancels transactions that appear to involve automated bots or fraudulent attempts to bypass this limit by creating multiple accounts.
These measures aim to ensure fairer access to tickets by limiting bulk purchases often exploited by scalpers. Tickets are tied to specific events, times, and often to the purchaser’s identity, which restricts ticket transfers and resale.
These strategies contribute to a more controlled secondary market in Germany, where scalpers face technical and legal obstacles in buying large quantities or reselling at inflated prices. Legitimate reselling is also limited by Eventim’s ticket policies, which may restrict ticket transfer or require official resale platforms. Consumers benefit from reduced fraud risks and more equitable ticket availability.
However, group purchases beyond limits require additional devices/accounts, complicating large group attendance.
Eventim's use of computer programs to enforce purchase caps, detect bots, and tie tickets to identities reflects a broader industry trend towards digital ticketing that incorporates anti-fraud and anti-scalping safeguards. These measures reinforce the legal framework in Germany, where ticket scalping is regulated and often restricted by consumer protection laws, thereby promoting a fairer market for event tickets.
While details on enforcement in Germany specifically are limited, Eventim’s technical strategies align with digital ticketing market trends emphasizing transparency, security, and fraud prevention, making scalping increasingly difficult on their platform.
It's important to note that private ticket reselling is generally allowed in Germany. However, event organizers can prohibit commercial reselling of tickets. Last year, Eventim temporarily suspended the resale of Taylor Swift tickets due to a hacker attack. Despite these challenges, the extent of ticket scalping remains unclear.
Eventim not only sells tickets for concerts, theater performances, and sporting events but also organizes concerts and operates venues like the Waldbühne in Berlin. The company continues to develop and refine its strategies to combat ticket scalping and ensure a fair and secure ticket market for all.
- The CEO of Eventim, Klaus-Peter Schulenberg, has emphasized that apart from combating exploitation, abuse, and fraud on unauthorized secondary market platforms, the company is also working towards enhancing cybersecurity in digital ticketing, as it reflects a broader industry trend.
- In addition to their efforts in promoting fair access to tickets through technical controls against bots and stricter purchase limits, Eventim also utilizes computer programs to prevent fraudulent reselling, aligning with digital ticketing market trends that highlight transparency, security, and fraud prevention, making it more challenging for scalpers in their platform.
