S. 281 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Jan 28, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryRequires upfront disclosure of ticket prices and fees
This bill requires anyone selling tickets—whether for concerts, sports, or other live events—to show you the full price right away, before you commit to buying. You'd also get a clear breakdown of the base price and every fee added on. The bill also stops sellers from advertising tickets they don't actually have, and it requires refunds if an event gets canceled or postponed.
How it affects you
If you buy tickets to concerts, sports games, or performances, you'll see the total cost upfront instead of discovering surprise fees later in the checkout process. The Federal Trade Commission will enforce these rules, so you have a government agency backing up the requirement that sellers be honest about what you're paying.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Jan 28, 2025)
Transparency In Charges for Key Events Ticketing Act or the TICKET Act
This bill requires ticket sellers (including sellers on the secondary market) for concerts, performances, sporting events, and similar activities to clearly and prominently disclose the total ticket price for the event at the time the ticket is first displayed to an individual (and anytime thereafter during the purchasing process). Prior to completing a purchase, ticket sellers also must provide an itemized list of the base ticket price and each fee (e.g., service fee, processing fee, or other charge). The total ticket price must also be disclosed in any advertisement, marketing, or price list.
Additionally, a ticket seller, secondary market seller, or ticket exchange that does not have actual or constructive possession of an event ticket is prohibited from selling or advertising a ticket for the event. However, a secondary market seller or exchange may sell or advertise a service to obtain an event ticket for an individual if the seller or exchange (1) does not market the service as an event ticket, (2) maintains a clear separation between the provided service and the event tickets throughout the entire purchasing process, and (3) clearly discloses that the service is not an event ticket.
The bill establishes additional disclosure requirements for ticket sellers, secondary market sellers, and ticket exchanges, and requires such entities to issue a refund for the total ticket price if an event is canceled or postponed.
The Federal Trade Commission must enforce these requirements.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 281
A BILL
TICKET Act
Sponsor: Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) · Introduced Jan 28, 2025 · Commerce · 2 versions of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Apr 29, 2025: “Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 63.”