Washington AG Wants To Outlaw Ticket Bots

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson is asking the Legislature to outlaw ticket bots — computer software that beats humans trying to buy seats online for concerts and sporting events.

Photo: AP Photo

Scalpers use the program to buy up tickets that they resale at higher prices. Ferguson says Ticketmaster reports bots are often used to buy more than 60 percent of the most desirable tickets.

The proposed legislation would make it a violation of the state Consumer Protection Act to sell software to circumvent a ticket seller’s website.

Thirteen states, including Oregon, have already banned ticket bots,