New law aims to protect consumers from event ticket hidden fees, scams

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Whether buying tickets to a concert, show or sporting event, consumers are often blindsided by hidden ticket fees long after selecting seats. But soon, buying event tickets in Colorado will become a little less unbearable.

Beginning Aug. 7, a new Colorado law will prohibit the sale of tickets without disclosing the total cost, including service fees and charges. It also prohibits raising the price of a ticket once it has been selected for purchase.

The new law also ensures customers are granted a refund if a ticket seller sells a counterfeit ticket or if an event is cancelled.

“Colorado is home to many great live music venues and multiple professional sports teams, and this consumer protection law will help prevent Coloradans from being taken advantage of by bad actors,” said Rep. William Lindstedt, D-Broomfield, a sponsor of HB24-1378, in a July 30 press release. “We’re creating a Colorado that better serves consumers so they can fully enjoy their favorite events, from Nuggets games to Taylor Swift concerts.”

Colorado law enforcement will also now have a new toolkit to go after sites selling scam tickets. The new law expands what constitutes a deceptive trade practice, including:

• Displaying trademarked, copyrighted, or substantially similar web designs, URLs, or other images and symbols with the intent to mislead a purchaser,
• Selling a ticket to an event without disclosing the total cost of the ticket, or
• Increasing the price of a ticket after the ticket has been selected for purchase, except for adding delivery fees.

This is the first update to Colorado's ticketing laws since 2008. Gov. Jared Polis fittingly signed the bill into law at one of Colorado's most iconic concert venues – Red Rocks Amphitheater.