Ticketmaster Under Fire: Global Regulators Challenge Ticket Giant’s Practices and Market Dominance

Mounting Regulatory Pressure

The U.S. Justice Department has filed a sweeping antitrust lawsuit against Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation Entertainment, accusing them of running an illegal monopoly over live events in America.

Live Nation Entertainment, which describes itself as the ‘largest live entertainment company in the world,’ controls more than 265 concert venues in North America and generates over $22 billion globally in annual revenue from concerts, ticketing, and sponsorship activities.

Recent Controversies and Investigations

In response to growing criticism, Ticketmaster announced in May 2025 that it would start showing how much buyers paid for tickets — fees included — before checkout, as part of its ‘All In Prices’ initiative to comply with the Federal Trade Commission’s ban on junk fees.

The FTC is currently pursuing legal action against ticket broker operations for allegedly using unlawful tactics to exceed ticket purchasing limits for popular events, including Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, and reselling the tickets at significantly higher prices.

International Scrutiny

In the UK, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a formal investigation into Ticketmaster following widespread complaints about concert ticket sales. The investigation revealed concerning practices, including the labeling of certain seated tickets as ‘platinum’ and selling them for nearly 2.5 times the price of equivalent standard tickets, without adequately explaining that they offered no additional benefits.

Future Implications

The Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission have jointly launched a public inquiry to identify unfair and anticompetitive practices in the live concert and entertainment industry. They are seeking input from all market participants, including consumers, artists, small businesses, trade groups, and industry analysts affected by anticompetitive practices.

Starting April 6, 2025, new consumer protection measures will grant the CMA enhanced powers to enforce consumer law, including the ability to fine companies that break consumer law up to 10% of their turnover. These developments signal a significant shift toward stricter regulation of the ticket sales industry.