Bill > S196

This bill, known as the MAIN Event Ticketing Act, aims to strengthen consumer protections and regulate online ticket sales by amending the Better Online Ticket Sales Act of 2016. The bill prohibits the use of automated software (bots) that circumvent ticket-purchasing security measures on websites, making it illegal to use applications that automatically buy event tickets by bypassing access controls. Online ticket issuers are now required to establish and maintain robust technological systems to enforce ticket purchasing limits and maintain the integrity of their sales processes. They must also report incidents of ticket purchasing circumvention to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) within 30 days of discovery and take reasonable steps to improve their security measures. The bill mandates that the FTC publish guidance for online ticket issuers within a year and requires coordination between law enforcement agencies like the FBI to share information about potential cyberattacks on ticketing websites. Additionally, the FTC must submit a congressional report within a year detailing enforcement actions and any limitations in addressing ticket purchasing circumvention. The legislation defines key terms such as "circumvention" and "online ticket issuer" to provide clarity and scope for enforcement.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/196/all-info