Ticket resale

Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed Assembly Bill 1349, a bipartisan measure targeting "ghost tickets" — listings for concert and sporting event access sold by people who don't yet own the underlying ticket. The law bans the sale of tickets not yet owned by the seller and prohibits software used to bypass venues' purchasing limits, requiring resellers to take "reasonable measures" against speculative sales. Violations can bring misdemeanor charges and penalties.

Assemblymember Isaac Bryan introduced the bill after encountering inflated, pre-sale ticket listings for a Hollywood Bowl show. The bill's final version shifted late in the legislative session: Live Nation initially backed it, but StubHub, which spent heavily lobbying against earlier drafts, ended up supporting the final text after amendments appeared to exempt resale marketplaces like itself. Newsom flagged that carve-out as a concern in his signing statement, urging further negotiation. The National Independent Venue Association opposed the final bill, warning it burdens small venues while leaving resale platforms less accountable. A related bill capping resale markups at 10% stalled earlier in the Senate.

California's new AB 1349 law bans "ghost ticket" sales for concerts and events, though critics say it exempts platforms like StubHub.