Brazil issues new rules on ticket sales for cultural events

Brazil issues new rules on ticket sales for cultural events SAO PAULO, Aug 31 : Brazil's government issued on Monday new regulations governing ticket sales, resales and access to cultural events, requiring transparency during online purchases and prohibiting automated bulk acquisitions by bots. • President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva signed the regulatory decrees during a ceremony. • According to one rule, consumers must be informed before purchase about all fees and ticket prices charged and whether sales are through official or third-party channels. • Automatic fees or charges without a corresponding service are prohibited, the government said in a social media post. • Platforms must also implement mechanisms to prevent bots and automated systems from purchasing large quantities of tickets abusively or speculatively. No specific amount was mentioned. • On the resale front, platforms must disclose the original ticket price, the markup charged and indicate whether the sale is by an individual or a legal entity. • The move came amid worldwide consumer criticism of ticket platforms due to high ticket fees and alleged unfair ticket reselling practices.