Music industry groups urge Berlin to curb ticket resale profiteering

On 1 May 2026, two German music industry bodies, Pro Musik and the BDKV (the federal association of concert and event promoters), publicly called on the federal government to take action against abuses on the secondary ticket market, where tickets are resold by people other than the original seller.

The groups described practices on resale platforms as 'usury and fraud', arguing that tickets for concerts and other events were routinely offered at heavily inflated prices. They said fans and, indirectly, artists and organisers were harmed by this.

To make their case, the organisations pointed to existing rules in other countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Belgium and Italy, where lawmakers have introduced limits or other restrictions on resale. Their argument was that Germany lagged behind comparable markets and needed its own regulation.

The appeal mattered because it added pressure from the live-music sector on Berlin to deal with a long-running consumer complaint. It formed part of the debate that later led to government plans to cap resale prices.