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Viagogo fined a million euros in Italy
By Chris Cooke | Published on Thursday 5 April 2018
Consummate rule-breaker Viagogo is being fined a million euros by the Italian Competition Authority for violating the country’s consumer protection code.
The secondary ticketing site is accused of not displaying the face value of tickets being touted on its platform, not providing information on seat numbers, and not clearly declaring the total price of tickets being sold, including all the extra fees and commissions that are the norm in Toutsville.
Italy is one of the countries where secondary ticketing has been particularly controversial in recent years. And, of course, whenever the touting of tickets proves controversial, you’ll usually find a Viagogo trying its very best to out-controversy everyone else in the market place, safe from its secret bunker somewhere under Switzerland.
The Italian Competition Authority hit out at various ticket resale sites a year ago over their failure to provide to buyers the information required under law. At the time Viagogo told the regulator it would comply with the rules, but a year on consumers and consumer rights organisations continue to complain about the site and its failure to declare key information.
Eventim-owned primary ticketing firm TicketOne was previously fined by the Italian Competition Authority over allegations that it had not done enough to stop tickets falling into the hands of touts. It successfully appealed that ruling by the competition regulator and had the fine refunded. It remains to be seen if Viagogo tries to appeal. Or whether it will employ its usual tactic of just never answering the phone.
