Touts will now have to reveal their identity and the face value of the tickets they’re selling.

The House Of Lords has voted to add a new clause to the Consumer Rights Bill forcing online ticket touts to be more transparent. The amendment, which was approved by 183 votes to 171 yesterday, will force ticket resellers on sites like Viagogo, Seatwave and StubHub to reveal their identity and the face value of the tickets as well as giving details like seat numbers and booking references.

They will also have to state whether the terms and conditions give the promoters the right to block entry if they discover the ticket was resold (which is usually the case if you look at the small print of your tickets). The ticket reselling sites would also be obliged to ensure this information is given.

Not everyone in the live music industry supports the amendment, particularly those ticket sellers who have got into the secondary ticketing market recently. Live Nation’s Ticketmaster, for instance, reckons that regulating ticket reselling will push touts onto online platforms outside the UK’s jurisdiction, leaving customers more likely to be the victims of fraud. The proposals have some support in parliament, but the narrow margin of approval in the Lords vote yesterday suggests that it won’t be an easy victory in the House of Commons.

The amendment stems from a report published by the All-Party Parliamentary Group On Ticket Abuse in April. The chairs of that group naturally welcomed the decision, with Labour’s Sharon Hodgson stating: “Ticket touts have operated with impunity for far too long. In no other market would we put up with not knowing who we were buying from or whether they even had permission to sell us a product. This amendment is a significant step towards tackling the scourge of touts and putting fans first, and I hope that the government now listens to the will of parliament.” [via CMU]