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The Oregon Legislature passed a bill this week that would ban companies and individuals from listing event tickets for sale that they don’t have in their possession.
So-called speculative ticketers aim to profit by betting they can sell tickets they don’t yet own, then purchase the tickets at lower prices from box offices and pocket the difference.
House Bill 4024 will become law once it’s signed by Gov. Tina Kotek.
Speculative ticketing is rampant for many concerts. Search for a certain show, and fans often find sites offering tickets at inflated prices, long before sales by the venue or promoter begin.
Abby McKee, president of the Britt Music & Arts Festival in Jacksonville, led a group of independent venues and consumer advocates that fought for the bill. The scams happen at every Britt show, she told WW in December.
The sale of speculative tickets puts consumers at risk of “main gate heartbreak,” when fans arrive at a venue only to discover their ticket never existed or was never secured by the reseller, Rep. Pam Marsh (D-Ahsland), sponsor of a previous bill that laid the groundwork for HB 4024, said in a press release.
“I’ve heard countless stories from Oregonians who were harmed by deceptive practices like this,” Marsh said. “In my district, a constituent paid $3,000 for two tickets to see Willie Nelson at Britt, only to learn upon arrival that the tickets were fake—and that the real cost was $159 per ticket!"
HB 4024 expands on HB 3167, the Fan Fairness & Transparency Act lawmakers passed in 2025, which prohibits deceptive marketing practices by preventing ticket sellers from using domain names, photos, logos, and other visuals that could mislead a buyer about the origin of a ticket.
“Britt has always been proud to serve as a cultural cornerstone in Southern Oregon,” McKee said in a statement. “But our responsibility doesn’t stop at our gates; we are equally proud to stand up for concertgoers and fellow venues across Oregon by advocating for meaningful, thoughtful policy that protects the integrity of live entertainment for everyone.”
