Plan to protect consumers from ticket bots
State Reps. Mike McFall (D-Hazel Park) and Mike Harris (R-Waterford) drop off their bill language for House Bills 4262 and 4263 at the Capitol in Lansing.
LANSING, Mich., March 14, 2025 — State Reps. Mike McFall (D-Hazel Park) and Mike Harris (R-Waterford) reintroduced the “Bot Bill” package this week. House Bills 4262 and 4263 aim to protect Michiganders from the tactics employed by ticket bot operators who purchase excessive amounts of tickets for resale. This consumer protection legislation would help address the growing frustration among Michigan residents who face countless hurdles and disappointments in their attempts to secure tickets to popular events, such as concerts and sporting events.
“Michiganders are tired of these scalping bots who purchase and hoard tickets for resale, often pricing them out of reach for many hardworking families,” McFall said. “I am proud to sponsor these bills which will protect consumers, keep tickets affordable, and hold bad actors accountable.”
Despite existing federal regulations meant to ban the use of bots, enforcement has proven largely ineffective, leaving consumers vulnerable to exploitation. Under House Bills 4262 and 4263, the Michigan Attorney General’s Office would be empowered to pursue legal action against individuals or groups found guilty of circumventing online ticket purchasing limits through the use of automated bots. The legislation includes punitive measures, including fines of up to $5,000 per ticket fraudulently obtained.
“People shouldn’t have to scour ticket resale websites and pay jacked up prices just to attend a Taylor Swift concert,” Harris said. “But too many fans never get a chance to buy fairly priced tickets, because bad actors use bots to break the rules, load up on tickets, and profit off fans’ misfortune. Our bipartisan plan will take this problem and ‘Shake It Off’ by cracking down on unethical scalpers.”
There is a growing national consensus to create consumer protection legislation around the use of bots for ticket purchasing. Several states, like Arizona and Iowa, have passed or are advancing similar pieces of legislation. This bill package sponsored by McFall passed the House last session with bipartisan support but did not move out of the Senate.
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