Ticket Scalping in Criminal Law

Ticket scalping is one of the most controversial aspects of criminal law, especially where the public is concerned. Ticket scalping refers to the act of selling entertainment tickets without a license to do so. Legally, only box offices and authorized dealers are allowed to sell tickets, so when others are caught doing it, then can be charged with ticket scalping.

Many people are against the laws that govern ticket scalping because they believe they are in place only to protect a very lucrative industry. Ticket scalping involves selling tickets at a higher price than the face value, ostensibly as a last-minute option for people who were unable to purchase tickets beforehand. Opposers of ticket scalping laws argue that the tickets were already purchased from the authorized vendor, which means that they have already been paid for. They further claim that if someone wants to purchase a ticket for a higher price, then it is their option to do so.

The reality, however, is that ticket scalping is much more complicated and poses a larger problem. Most ticket scalping enterprises are run by people who scalp tickets for a living. They make a large sum of money from their ticket scalping businesses, and often these practices are illegal on other levels. For example, some of the largest ticket scalping "busts" have involved people who have friends at the box office. They get hundreds of free tickets by cheating the system, then make even more money selling them on the street.

Another problem is that if hundreds (or even thousands) of tickets are purchased by ticket scalping enterprises, there are precious seats left over for people who wish to purchase their tickets legitimately. This creates a demand for ticket scalping, which circumvents the entire system.

When a ticket scalper pays off an authorized ticket dealer in order to claim a large quantity of tickets, it is known as "ice" and is illegal in most states. If you are convicted of accepting suck pay-offs, your license to sell tickets will almost always be suspended in addition to hefty fines. It is a misdemeanor crime, but many lobbyists are working to make it a felony charge.

You will find varying ticket scalping laws in different states, but there is a statute for each. In some states, ticket scalping is illegal no matter the circumstances, while in others the business of ticket scalping is illegal. Regardless, very few people are charged with ticket scalping for making a few individual sales. Law enforcement is more concerned with finding the "big time" ticket scalping operations.

Ticket scalping can be carried out before entertainment events, on the street or online. Auction sites on the Internet are one place where you can find hundreds of scalped tickets, though if you are discovered scalping tickets online, you can face criminal charges. Rarely will you find ticket scalpers hanging out in front of arenas and concert halls anymore because police officers are usually present and ticket scalpers have learned that there are more secretive ways of carrying out their business.

If you have been charged with ticket scalping, your best bet is to obtain the counsel of an experienced attorney. In most cases, ticket scalping charges can be dismissed if you have an attorney handle the situation right away.